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The Liars
***PRE-ORDER AN INTENSE, EVOCATIVE DESTINATION THRILLER FOR FANS OF LUCY CLARKE AND WILL DEAN***
'Compelling and utterly transportive, a scorching summer read. Katherine Fleet’s gorgeous line by line writing and masterful build of suspense held me rapt on heat-drenched Greek island shores' Lucy Clarke
'I devoured it. Beautiful writing and characterisation and a gripping plot. Such an atmospheric read - I loved every sun soaked page' Sarah Pearse
----
I thought I saw her today. Down by the water. It was her hair I noticed. Do you ever see her, Lex? Does she haunt you too?
I haven’t been back to Eos since I first met my step-sister, Lex.
It’s been twenty-five years since that summer.
Since we went from strangers to sisters.
Since Abigail went missing.
Since we told the first lie.
Now we’re back together on the island.
So much has changed since we were teenagers.
We’ve both tried to move on from the past – from each other.
But the island won’t let us escape our secrets.
Only me and Lex know the truth about Abigail.
We’ve been living a lie for so long.
And if the truth comes out – neither of us will survive it…
----
'Compelling and utterly transportive, a scorching summer read. Katherine Fleet’s gorgeous line by line writing and masterful build of suspense held me rapt on heat-drenched Greek island shores' Lucy Clarke
'I devoured it. Beautiful writing and characterisation and a gripping plot. Such an atmospheric read - I loved every sun soaked page' Sarah Pearse
----
I thought I saw her today. Down by the water. It was her hair I noticed. Do you ever see her, Lex? Does she haunt you too?
I haven’t been back to Eos since I first met my step-sister, Lex.
It’s been twenty-five years since that summer.
Since we went from strangers to sisters.
Since Abigail went missing.
Since we told the first lie.
Now we’re back together on the island.
So much has changed since we were teenagers.
We’ve both tried to move on from the past – from each other.
But the island won’t let us escape our secrets.
Only me and Lex know the truth about Abigail.
We’ve been living a lie for so long.
And if the truth comes out – neither of us will survive it…
----
378 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 18, 2024
96 people are currently reading
863 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
September 1, 2024
Intriguing mystery, but too slow-paced for me. Two estranged stepsisters return to the small Greek island where their parents were married 25 years ago, and where a girl named Abigail went missing at the same time. The island setting and their family home called Calliope were my favorite parts of the books. The ending was a bit confusing. I read it twice and still feel like I'm missing something.
July 21, 2024
Zoë and Lex are stepsisters brought together to Lex's dads holiday home in Greece for his whirlwind wedding to Zoë's mum. The girls spend every minute together, occasionally with Abigail, the daughter of Lex's godmother. Neither girl, particularly like Abigail, no one does. But when Abigail disappears the night of the wedding, everything changes. 25 years later, both of them return to the island for Lex's dads funeral. Neither has seen or spoken to each other since that night. Both of them know what really happened that night, and now the past seems to want to catch up to them.
Throughout the story, each chapter jumps between "Then and Now." Then being 25 years ago, the story follows the two teenage girls as they meet for the first time, right up until the night their parents get married. Now follow both of them, now both mothers themselves, as they try to find out a way to stop the truth getting out. This was a slow burn, and it felt like it really took a long time to get anywhere. But the underlying mystery, the build-up, and the eventually, the reveal and ending, all made it worth the read. This is definitely a must-read for your summer vacation
Throughout the story, each chapter jumps between "Then and Now." Then being 25 years ago, the story follows the two teenage girls as they meet for the first time, right up until the night their parents get married. Now follow both of them, now both mothers themselves, as they try to find out a way to stop the truth getting out. This was a slow burn, and it felt like it really took a long time to get anywhere. But the underlying mystery, the build-up, and the eventually, the reveal and ending, all made it worth the read. This is definitely a must-read for your summer vacation
August 28, 2024
I would not call this book a thriller. I had high hopes for this book but nothing of importance happens, there are no twists and the story itself is way too long for then nothing to happen in the end.
April 1, 2024
Zoe and Lex haven't seen each other since they first met 25 years ago and became stepsisters. Now they have been brought back together by grief but their past is bubbling back to the surface as well.
Only they know the truth about what happened to Abigail that fateful summer.
They've been running from their lies for 25 years but now it's all catching up with them.
This was a really enjoyable read, the complex relationships and family dynamics were interesting alone, the underlying mystery just adds to it all. The beautiful Greek island setting makes this a wonderful beach read.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph Penguin Random House for providing an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Only they know the truth about what happened to Abigail that fateful summer.
They've been running from their lies for 25 years but now it's all catching up with them.
This was a really enjoyable read, the complex relationships and family dynamics were interesting alone, the underlying mystery just adds to it all. The beautiful Greek island setting makes this a wonderful beach read.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph Penguin Random House for providing an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
August 15, 2024
I can't believe this hasn't got a higher star rating. I absolutely loved this book, the build up of the story was fantastic and I could not put it down, wanting to know more. I have been to Paxos a few times, where I now realise it is based after a few clues in the book had me googling it. Thoroughly enjoyed this read and it even had an ending I was happy with, so a well deserved 5 stars from me.
May 11, 2024
Well this book had me very engaged. Two sisters returning to what is a family home abroad, but also seeing each other for the first time in many years. Something bad hapenned and they never spoke again until the day they return for a funeral.
The story switches between the present and past with many of the same characters. It gradually evolves and I found myself wishing, hoping, guessing and then finding a fairly satisfying conclusion. What actually happened in the past is explained and I couldn't help buy feel that the sisters had carried the weight all their lives when really - should they have? Is the guilt theirs?
The very end of the book had me slightly concerned as I was at the very beginning that I may be reading something with a paranormal undercurrent but while the ending is slightly open when it comes to one specific thing, I wouldn't say it was anything but human. If you like drama, past secrets and family rifts - this is the book for you!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.
The story switches between the present and past with many of the same characters. It gradually evolves and I found myself wishing, hoping, guessing and then finding a fairly satisfying conclusion. What actually happened in the past is explained and I couldn't help buy feel that the sisters had carried the weight all their lives when really - should they have? Is the guilt theirs?
The very end of the book had me slightly concerned as I was at the very beginning that I may be reading something with a paranormal undercurrent but while the ending is slightly open when it comes to one specific thing, I wouldn't say it was anything but human. If you like drama, past secrets and family rifts - this is the book for you!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.
January 18, 2025
Enjoyed this book. It started off strong but dragged a bit towards the end. I was able to keep reading because I liked the story and wanted to know what happened but the ending was a bit disappointing. 3.5 stars
February 2, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
March 12, 2025
The pace was a bit too slow and I found the ending very frustrating. Although I did enjoy the setting and the characters.
August 19, 2024
Fantastic holiday read. Unfortunately I couldn’t put it down so I’ll have to get another one. Well written with believable characters who keep you guessing. What a twist at the end!
September 20, 2024
A blended family are brought back together on Eos after the death of Richard- Lex’s Dad and Zoe’s step-Dad- twenty five years after a tragedy which the women, both 15 then, know more about than they’ve let on to everyone, including authorities.
There are things I liked about this book- the backdrop of Eos and Calliope (though the personification was over egged for me at times) and the way that girls coming of age and the difficulties of friendship at that time was dealt with. However I felt like the book could have been pithier, shorter, more to the point as the climax came in more of a whisper. The jeopardy felt a little immature for me (it wasn’t as though the girls were directly responsible for Abigail’s death and was rather a storm in a teacup). I finished this book on holiday which perhaps magnified the setting of it. A good holiday read but a little frustrating at times for me. I did very much enjoy the characters and would have liked a “6 months later” chapter to finish off- were Ben and Zoe back together? Were Zoe and Lex still in touch? Was there any investigation into Liam’s death?
There are things I liked about this book- the backdrop of Eos and Calliope (though the personification was over egged for me at times) and the way that girls coming of age and the difficulties of friendship at that time was dealt with. However I felt like the book could have been pithier, shorter, more to the point as the climax came in more of a whisper. The jeopardy felt a little immature for me (it wasn’t as though the girls were directly responsible for Abigail’s death and was rather a storm in a teacup). I finished this book on holiday which perhaps magnified the setting of it. A good holiday read but a little frustrating at times for me. I did very much enjoy the characters and would have liked a “6 months later” chapter to finish off- were Ben and Zoe back together? Were Zoe and Lex still in touch? Was there any investigation into Liam’s death?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2024
Zoë is returning to Greece for the first time in the 25 years since she first met her step sister Lex there and since another girl, Abigail, went missing. Even though both have tried to move on, only they know the truth about Abigail. Will the shared secrets finally escape?
I thought this sounded intriguing and I was drawn to the cover. The story is told in past and present which helps add extra layers and build up the overall story. The story telling and character creation is done well, I felt I got a picture of the Greek setting. Although this was well written, it was a slow burn and unfortunately a bit too slow to really hold my interest. I felt that by the end I wasn’t that invested in the story and I didn’t love the conclusion. Although this story wasn’t fully for me, I would check out other books by this author due to the writing style. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
I thought this sounded intriguing and I was drawn to the cover. The story is told in past and present which helps add extra layers and build up the overall story. The story telling and character creation is done well, I felt I got a picture of the Greek setting. Although this was well written, it was a slow burn and unfortunately a bit too slow to really hold my interest. I felt that by the end I wasn’t that invested in the story and I didn’t love the conclusion. Although this story wasn’t fully for me, I would check out other books by this author due to the writing style. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
April 2, 2024
I loved THE LIARS by Katherine Fleet and am already telling my friends it will be their book of the summer. Why? Essentially, it’s three wonderful reads in one. A gripping cold-case crime novel, a moving coming-of-age novel, and a glorious shenanigans on a Greek holiday novel, all ticking along as one.
The two girls at the heart of it all, Zoe and Lex, are suddenly stepsisters when their parents decide to marry. A set of more unlikely best friends it's hard to imagine. Lex, blonde, beautiful, brave, and bold, just waiting to get out into the world and make her mark on it, and her new stepsister, Zoe, dark-haired, bookish, watchful, and cautious. On their own, each is on the cusp of adulthood and should surely be manageable, but put them together and the adults laughing and drinking by the pool don’t stand a chance.
The crime story at the centre of the novel forces the two girls to grow up sharpish, as their lives suddenly change forever. But even before this, I was struck both by how uniquely drawn each girl is, and how sudden, unexpected observations they make about what was happening managed to be both clever observations about how we live now, and vehicles for informing the current story. At times Ms Fleet’s deft use of adolescence reminded me of the way Donna Tartt’s central character in THE GOLDFINCH, Theo viewed the world through jaded glasses before he was old enough to drink (as if) or hire a motorbike (double ditto).
Similarly, I was struck by how Zoe talks about something she learned about time in a physics lesson and how according to Einstein it's not linear in the sense that we think of it so much as always there, it's just that we can't access all of it, we can't get back to all of it. This, of course, is the central problem for the characters, they can't get back to that summer and fix one small mistake. Okay, so maybe two or three small mistakes. Read it yourself and see, but Holden Caulfield anyone?
The setting is glorious and I cannot wait to visit the nightclub one of the characters has built up in the hills. Sadly, I know I am stuck waiting for Netflix to finish with their set-building, but what a scene that’s going to be. Just like the scary emerald pull of Circe’s pool and the way, the more books Zoë reads on the subject, the more Greek myths are merging dangerously with the girl’s lives in the endless, oppressive heat, heat, heat.
So often in THE LIARS, I thought I knew what was going to happen but I was always blissfully wrong. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, and I didn't want to, I wanted to stop and slow down because the prose is beautiful, there are plenty of things to think about, and the girls are so compelling to tag along with. I’ve often heard it said that for a book to work - really, really work, like this one does - the author must know their characters. But here, there's another principle at work, which is that while Ms Fleet knows the characters, the characters also really know each other. Herein lies the great success of THE LIARS. Everyone Is tight, it’s groups of families on holiday together, and so they know each other's flaws, they know which buttons to push, they know how to make things run smoothly, or to bring the house crumbling down around themselves.
Frankly, five stars seems churlish here. Surely the two girls, Lex and Zoë, should get five each at least? Plus five more for the setting. Oh my, when can I book?
With thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph for allowing me to see an advance copy of the #TheLiars.
The two girls at the heart of it all, Zoe and Lex, are suddenly stepsisters when their parents decide to marry. A set of more unlikely best friends it's hard to imagine. Lex, blonde, beautiful, brave, and bold, just waiting to get out into the world and make her mark on it, and her new stepsister, Zoe, dark-haired, bookish, watchful, and cautious. On their own, each is on the cusp of adulthood and should surely be manageable, but put them together and the adults laughing and drinking by the pool don’t stand a chance.
The crime story at the centre of the novel forces the two girls to grow up sharpish, as their lives suddenly change forever. But even before this, I was struck both by how uniquely drawn each girl is, and how sudden, unexpected observations they make about what was happening managed to be both clever observations about how we live now, and vehicles for informing the current story. At times Ms Fleet’s deft use of adolescence reminded me of the way Donna Tartt’s central character in THE GOLDFINCH, Theo viewed the world through jaded glasses before he was old enough to drink (as if) or hire a motorbike (double ditto).
Similarly, I was struck by how Zoe talks about something she learned about time in a physics lesson and how according to Einstein it's not linear in the sense that we think of it so much as always there, it's just that we can't access all of it, we can't get back to all of it. This, of course, is the central problem for the characters, they can't get back to that summer and fix one small mistake. Okay, so maybe two or three small mistakes. Read it yourself and see, but Holden Caulfield anyone?
The setting is glorious and I cannot wait to visit the nightclub one of the characters has built up in the hills. Sadly, I know I am stuck waiting for Netflix to finish with their set-building, but what a scene that’s going to be. Just like the scary emerald pull of Circe’s pool and the way, the more books Zoë reads on the subject, the more Greek myths are merging dangerously with the girl’s lives in the endless, oppressive heat, heat, heat.
So often in THE LIARS, I thought I knew what was going to happen but I was always blissfully wrong. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, and I didn't want to, I wanted to stop and slow down because the prose is beautiful, there are plenty of things to think about, and the girls are so compelling to tag along with. I’ve often heard it said that for a book to work - really, really work, like this one does - the author must know their characters. But here, there's another principle at work, which is that while Ms Fleet knows the characters, the characters also really know each other. Herein lies the great success of THE LIARS. Everyone Is tight, it’s groups of families on holiday together, and so they know each other's flaws, they know which buttons to push, they know how to make things run smoothly, or to bring the house crumbling down around themselves.
Frankly, five stars seems churlish here. Surely the two girls, Lex and Zoë, should get five each at least? Plus five more for the setting. Oh my, when can I book?
With thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph for allowing me to see an advance copy of the #TheLiars.
August 6, 2024
Twenty Five years ago, Zoe’s mother, Marilynn, married Lex’s father, Richard, on the Greek island of Eos, and the girls became stepsisters. Zoe, 15, was educated at a State School, while Lex, who will turn 16 on the wedding day, was educated at a fee-paying school. Zoe is bright and intelligent but not at all worldly, while Lex is just as clever but something of a wild child. The wedding will take place at “Calliope” Richard’s holiday home, named after the Muse of Epic Poetry. Despite their different backgrounds, the girls become close friends and enjoy adventuring around the island. Guests at the wedding include Liam, Richard’s young business partner, and Penny, Lex’s Godmother together with her sons, Robin and Tom and her daughter, Abigail. She is also 15 but acts much younger and is generally rather despondent, not helped by her family nickname of Pabs (poor Abigail). After the wedding, there is a party which extends into the night and at some point Abigail disappears.
Now, Zoe and Lex have returned to “Calliope” for Richard’s funeral. This is the first time they have returned since the wedding and old memories are being reawakened. Clearly the two women’s lives have been influenced by the events following Abigail’s disappearance. Lex has brought her daughter, Cloe because she is, of course, Richard’s granddaughter. At 19 she looks like Lex did then, but is curious about the past and starts asking questions. Liam and Penny have also returned, each with their own concerns about what happened. Robin, too, has had his life influenced by the loss of his sister, to such an extent that he is now living on the Island in hope that she might be found. Since it is approaching the 25th Anniversary of the event he has organised a poster campaign and is in contact with the local police inspector originally in charge of the case. It looks like there might be anew search. What will it find and what will that mean to the futures of the main protagonists?
This is a mystery story, but we don’t know if it is a crime story. It is told in alternating chapters, one 25 years ago and one in the present. The former is largely a coming of age story and the latter a psychological look at how events in the past can colour the future. It is well written and conveys a clear picture of the island and the house (almost a character in its own right), but it is very slow paced until the last few chapters; and very long at 400 pages. Large chunks of the ‘Past’ could easily be edited down, and some tightening up of the ‘Present’ would help. The mystery isn’t very hard to solve and the dénouement is not much of a surprise. I have a major problem with the mechanics of the plot because I can’t see how the timing of events works and there are a few pieces which don’t make sense, but I can’t explain them here. Overall, it’s not a bad book if you have a bit of time, e.g. lying on a Greek beach in the sun.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
Now, Zoe and Lex have returned to “Calliope” for Richard’s funeral. This is the first time they have returned since the wedding and old memories are being reawakened. Clearly the two women’s lives have been influenced by the events following Abigail’s disappearance. Lex has brought her daughter, Cloe because she is, of course, Richard’s granddaughter. At 19 she looks like Lex did then, but is curious about the past and starts asking questions. Liam and Penny have also returned, each with their own concerns about what happened. Robin, too, has had his life influenced by the loss of his sister, to such an extent that he is now living on the Island in hope that she might be found. Since it is approaching the 25th Anniversary of the event he has organised a poster campaign and is in contact with the local police inspector originally in charge of the case. It looks like there might be anew search. What will it find and what will that mean to the futures of the main protagonists?
This is a mystery story, but we don’t know if it is a crime story. It is told in alternating chapters, one 25 years ago and one in the present. The former is largely a coming of age story and the latter a psychological look at how events in the past can colour the future. It is well written and conveys a clear picture of the island and the house (almost a character in its own right), but it is very slow paced until the last few chapters; and very long at 400 pages. Large chunks of the ‘Past’ could easily be edited down, and some tightening up of the ‘Present’ would help. The mystery isn’t very hard to solve and the dénouement is not much of a surprise. I have a major problem with the mechanics of the plot because I can’t see how the timing of events works and there are a few pieces which don’t make sense, but I can’t explain them here. Overall, it’s not a bad book if you have a bit of time, e.g. lying on a Greek beach in the sun.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
August 29, 2024
Zoe has not been to Eos since the summer her mother married Richard, and she met her step-sister, Lex. Twenty-five years have now passed, and Zoe is returning to the island for her step-father's funeral, and an uncomfortable reunion with Lex, who became a stranger after the events of those fateful few weeks.
Back together on the island, teenage memories come flooding back, heightening the already tense situation. The weight of things unsaid between Zoe and Lex is unbearable, and the island refuses to let their secrets stay in the past. They know a lot more about the case of Abigail, the girl who went missing that fateful summer, than they have admitted - and now the case has attracted fresh attention, just one wrong move may expose the lies they told, and bring their lives crashing down...
The story unfurls in simmering slow-burn in dual timelines, flipping between the events surrounding Zoe and Lex's first meeting twenty-five years ago (Then), and the story that plays out following their reunion on Eos for Richard's funeral (Now). You learn pretty soon that Zoe and Lex are keeping secrets about what happened to awkward Abigail, the girl that came between them, but Fleet keeps you guessing about the full truth until the timelines clash gloriously together.
In a masterclass of plotting, Fleet drops her reveals like the tastiest of breadcrumbs, tugging you on through dysfunctional family dramas, excruciating coming-of-age experiences, and intergenerational strife. The environment is described in lush detail, the characters are deliciously unreliable, and you can cut the tension with a knife as every intense moment commands your attention.
Fleet knows how to pack a gripping mystery with compelling themes too, weaving in explorations of class, money, blended families, grief, trauma, consent, estrangement, guilt, envy, and memory. And I absolutely loved how she channels mythology and female rage, echoing themes and events in present and past, and examining changes in attitude. She delves nicely into the things that bind as well as those that divide too.
This was so darned good that I consumed it whole, from intriguing beginning to cracking twist and twist again ending.
Back together on the island, teenage memories come flooding back, heightening the already tense situation. The weight of things unsaid between Zoe and Lex is unbearable, and the island refuses to let their secrets stay in the past. They know a lot more about the case of Abigail, the girl who went missing that fateful summer, than they have admitted - and now the case has attracted fresh attention, just one wrong move may expose the lies they told, and bring their lives crashing down...
The story unfurls in simmering slow-burn in dual timelines, flipping between the events surrounding Zoe and Lex's first meeting twenty-five years ago (Then), and the story that plays out following their reunion on Eos for Richard's funeral (Now). You learn pretty soon that Zoe and Lex are keeping secrets about what happened to awkward Abigail, the girl that came between them, but Fleet keeps you guessing about the full truth until the timelines clash gloriously together.
In a masterclass of plotting, Fleet drops her reveals like the tastiest of breadcrumbs, tugging you on through dysfunctional family dramas, excruciating coming-of-age experiences, and intergenerational strife. The environment is described in lush detail, the characters are deliciously unreliable, and you can cut the tension with a knife as every intense moment commands your attention.
Fleet knows how to pack a gripping mystery with compelling themes too, weaving in explorations of class, money, blended families, grief, trauma, consent, estrangement, guilt, envy, and memory. And I absolutely loved how she channels mythology and female rage, echoing themes and events in present and past, and examining changes in attitude. She delves nicely into the things that bind as well as those that divide too.
This was so darned good that I consumed it whole, from intriguing beginning to cracking twist and twist again ending.
July 16, 2024
#TheLiars #NetGalley
I really didn't care at all. But some parts are really good.
What happened on the island of Eos twenty-five years ago. We first meet our narrator, Zoe, as she is returning to the island of Eos, for her step-father's funeral. It is twenty-five years since she has visited the villa her step-father, Richard, loved. The place they retired to a decade ago. The story then alternates between now and Zoe's first visit, when she meets her soon-to-be step-sister, Lex. Zoe and Lex are roughly the same age but light-years apart in every other respect. Zoe has been brought up by a single mother, living a normal life in inner city London and attends a state school. She's bright, works hard at school and appreciates the sacrifices her mother has made for her. Although Lex is a child of divorced parents she has led a life of privilege, something she takes for granted, she tends to look upon everyone with disdain. Although the girls know of each other's existence, the holiday is the first time they have met. Unassuming Zoe is immediately wary of Lex but also in awe of her rebelliousness, something Lex is quick to flaunt. The pair quickly form a bond. The arrival of a family with long-time connections to Richard and Lex throws another teenage girl, Abigail, into the mix and this brings out Zoe's jealous side. When the story returns to now and Richard's funeral, lots of old faces from twenty-five years ago return to the island. Gradually, memories are stirred, particularly as it's the twenty-fifth anniversary of the disappearance. Zoe's feelings of guilt slowly build and build, becoming oppressive, just like the summer heat before a storm. The reader is given tantalising hints about historic events as secrets are slowly revealed and we learn that no one has a complete picture of exactly what happened on the fateful night.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for giving me an advance copy.
I really didn't care at all. But some parts are really good.
What happened on the island of Eos twenty-five years ago. We first meet our narrator, Zoe, as she is returning to the island of Eos, for her step-father's funeral. It is twenty-five years since she has visited the villa her step-father, Richard, loved. The place they retired to a decade ago. The story then alternates between now and Zoe's first visit, when she meets her soon-to-be step-sister, Lex. Zoe and Lex are roughly the same age but light-years apart in every other respect. Zoe has been brought up by a single mother, living a normal life in inner city London and attends a state school. She's bright, works hard at school and appreciates the sacrifices her mother has made for her. Although Lex is a child of divorced parents she has led a life of privilege, something she takes for granted, she tends to look upon everyone with disdain. Although the girls know of each other's existence, the holiday is the first time they have met. Unassuming Zoe is immediately wary of Lex but also in awe of her rebelliousness, something Lex is quick to flaunt. The pair quickly form a bond. The arrival of a family with long-time connections to Richard and Lex throws another teenage girl, Abigail, into the mix and this brings out Zoe's jealous side. When the story returns to now and Richard's funeral, lots of old faces from twenty-five years ago return to the island. Gradually, memories are stirred, particularly as it's the twenty-fifth anniversary of the disappearance. Zoe's feelings of guilt slowly build and build, becoming oppressive, just like the summer heat before a storm. The reader is given tantalising hints about historic events as secrets are slowly revealed and we learn that no one has a complete picture of exactly what happened on the fateful night.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for giving me an advance copy.
August 18, 2024
Lex and Zoe, both fifteen, first met on the Greek island of Eos twenty five years ago, brought together by the coupling of their parents, Lex's dad Richard and Zoe's mum Marilyn, staying at Richard's holiday home, Calliope. Marilyn announces they are getting married and the girls, who have started to bond, accept they will be stepsisters. They spend the summer with Lex showing Zoe round the island including the mysterious Circe Pool which is deemed to have magical qualities. Abigail, the fifteen year old daughter of Lex's godmother, Penny is annoying to many people and follows Lex round like a puppy, on the night of the wedding Abigail disappears, only the girls know what really happened and they swear to keep it secret. Fast forward to the present day and the girls, now with daughters of their own, are reunited on the island for Richard's funeral. Will being back here dredge up the memories of that summer and what will happen if their lies are revealed?
The Liars is a dual timeline, told by Zoe in alternate chapters of Now and Then, telling the story of what happened all those years ago and, even though they haven't seen each other since that summer, up until now, how it has defined their lives and never really been far from their minds and they are determined that nobody can find out. This is the authors debut novel and, even though it's a slow burn, she builds up the atmospheric mystery of the story with the vivid descriptions of the island and it was all worth it for that final reveal. I wasn't invested in any of the characters, I especially didn't like sleazy Liam, who even in the present day didn't seem any nicer. This was an intriguing tale of families and complex dynamics in a beautiful Greek setting that is definitely worth a read.
I'd like to thank Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and Netgalley for inviting me to read this book, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.
The Liars is a dual timeline, told by Zoe in alternate chapters of Now and Then, telling the story of what happened all those years ago and, even though they haven't seen each other since that summer, up until now, how it has defined their lives and never really been far from their minds and they are determined that nobody can find out. This is the authors debut novel and, even though it's a slow burn, she builds up the atmospheric mystery of the story with the vivid descriptions of the island and it was all worth it for that final reveal. I wasn't invested in any of the characters, I especially didn't like sleazy Liam, who even in the present day didn't seem any nicer. This was an intriguing tale of families and complex dynamics in a beautiful Greek setting that is definitely worth a read.
I'd like to thank Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and Netgalley for inviting me to read this book, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.
May 24, 2025
🌊 Oh my gosh, guys! @kateriordanauthor has done it again! The Liars is a modern-day suspense mixed with old Greek mythology. Be bewitched by Circe’s magic and charmed by Pan’s cunning tricks. This is a book you will want to savour every page of—I know I certainly did!
Lex and Zoe are unlikely allies—brought together by their parents’ sudden marriage. Not blood sisters, but sisters all the same. Stuck on the small (half-fictional) Greek island of Eos for the summer in Lex’s father’s house (Calliope), the girls bond quickly, and over mere weeks, they develop a strong bond—a bond so strong that they are willing to lie for each other.
When Abigail, a family friend, goes missing on the island, Lex and Zoe come under scrutiny from the local authorities. And what was a blissful, hot summer turns into a waking nightmare.
Then, when Lex’s father dies years later, the girls must go back to Eos and confront their past. But the people of Eos haven’t forgotten what happened all those years ago, and they won’t let it go…
This book was so descriptive—I adored it. It may be the most atmospheric book I’ve ever read. The house Calliope, with its plumbago garden and quirky interior, the island with its narrow paths and stunning beaches, even the descriptions of the sisters—I could see everything so well in my mind’s eye. The characters have such depth to them too, and I love that in a book. This clever mystery will not disappoint if you’re looking for a slow-burn suspense novel full of tension and impending doom. As good as The Heatwave (also by the same author). I can’t not give it 5 stars because I was hooked from the very start 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5.
“Lex’s face was glowing just as it had that first night when she’d taken me down to the village. As though she’d been dipped in rose gold. The effect was even more spectacular against her white dress. She looked somehow more than human.” P321
Lex and Zoe are unlikely allies—brought together by their parents’ sudden marriage. Not blood sisters, but sisters all the same. Stuck on the small (half-fictional) Greek island of Eos for the summer in Lex’s father’s house (Calliope), the girls bond quickly, and over mere weeks, they develop a strong bond—a bond so strong that they are willing to lie for each other.
When Abigail, a family friend, goes missing on the island, Lex and Zoe come under scrutiny from the local authorities. And what was a blissful, hot summer turns into a waking nightmare.
Then, when Lex’s father dies years later, the girls must go back to Eos and confront their past. But the people of Eos haven’t forgotten what happened all those years ago, and they won’t let it go…
This book was so descriptive—I adored it. It may be the most atmospheric book I’ve ever read. The house Calliope, with its plumbago garden and quirky interior, the island with its narrow paths and stunning beaches, even the descriptions of the sisters—I could see everything so well in my mind’s eye. The characters have such depth to them too, and I love that in a book. This clever mystery will not disappoint if you’re looking for a slow-burn suspense novel full of tension and impending doom. As good as The Heatwave (also by the same author). I can’t not give it 5 stars because I was hooked from the very start 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5.
“Lex’s face was glowing just as it had that first night when she’d taken me down to the village. As though she’d been dipped in rose gold. The effect was even more spectacular against her white dress. She looked somehow more than human.” P321
June 15, 2024
Published 15 August 2024. This novel transports you to a Greek island of Eos and the descriptions are so enticing - I would love to see what Zoe calls the pinkening. Zoe and Lex are step sisters. We have two timelines, twenty five years previous when the girls met and when one night something happened, and presnet when the two girls - now women are reunited at the villa, seeing each other for the first time in twenty five years. When they were 15, Zoe and her mum join Richard and his daughter Lex at his Greek villa - Calliope. It is the girls' first meeting and they couldn't be more different. Lex is blonde, confident, spoilt while Zoe is dark, bookish and lacking in confidence. Their upbringings/lifestyles also couldn't be more different - Richard is wealthy and successful, Zoe's mum was an air-hostess - which is where they met. Surprisingly the girls become friends, even though Zoe is always trying to make sure that she doesn't do/say anything that will make Lex roll her eyes. When Richard's family friends arrive with their 15 year old daughter, Abigail, the dynamics change. Add to the mix, Richard's right hand man, Liam and you have all the ingredients. The two girls have kept secrets about what happened that night and they fear that now, those secrets, the lies, untruths that were told will be revealed and ruin everything. This is a slow burn and you gradually learn about the events of that night. There is no killer twist at the end, but, the ending is, in a way, satisfying and one that I hadn't expected. A book about secrets, lies, family and memories. A perfect summer read.
August 13, 2024
To be brutally honest with you, I kind of stopped caring about who did what to whom about half way through this book. It probably didn't help that I also didn't really care for any of the characters.
We start in the past when Zoe and Lex are forced together as step-sisters by the pairing of their mum Penny and dad Richard respectively. Chalk and cheese but they try and rub along best they can. Up to a point.
We follow them during that first summer together as Zoe starts to try and fit into Lex's world. Meet her friends and prepare for the wedding. But something horrible happens on the night of the wedding. Abigail, the daughter of Lex's mum's friend, disappears.
Fast forward 25 years and the two, now estranged, step-sisters reconnect back in Greece for Richard's funeral. The two of them not having spoken in years. It's the 25th anniversary of the disappearance of Abigail, and her brother is wanting to mark the occasion, and is also still desperate for the truth. Many of the other players who were around back then come over for the funeral, and the policeman who failed to get to the truth back then is also still around.
Bit convoluted and a very slow burn initially. As already mentioned this really didn't help me engage with the book, the story or the characters. It took too long to get going and by that time I had kind of stopped caring.
Even the truth, when it all eventually came out, wasn't enough to reel me back in or reward me for my endeavours. That said, it did all wrap up nicely. But I just didn't care, sorry. I guess it just wasn't the book for me.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
We start in the past when Zoe and Lex are forced together as step-sisters by the pairing of their mum Penny and dad Richard respectively. Chalk and cheese but they try and rub along best they can. Up to a point.
We follow them during that first summer together as Zoe starts to try and fit into Lex's world. Meet her friends and prepare for the wedding. But something horrible happens on the night of the wedding. Abigail, the daughter of Lex's mum's friend, disappears.
Fast forward 25 years and the two, now estranged, step-sisters reconnect back in Greece for Richard's funeral. The two of them not having spoken in years. It's the 25th anniversary of the disappearance of Abigail, and her brother is wanting to mark the occasion, and is also still desperate for the truth. Many of the other players who were around back then come over for the funeral, and the policeman who failed to get to the truth back then is also still around.
Bit convoluted and a very slow burn initially. As already mentioned this really didn't help me engage with the book, the story or the characters. It took too long to get going and by that time I had kind of stopped caring.
Even the truth, when it all eventually came out, wasn't enough to reel me back in or reward me for my endeavours. That said, it did all wrap up nicely. But I just didn't care, sorry. I guess it just wasn't the book for me.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
August 22, 2024
‘The Liars’ by Katherine Fleet is an atmospheric sun-drenched thriller set across dual timelines on a gorgeous Greek island full of dark secrets and long-buried lies. Reunited on Eos after 25 years of estrangement for a funeral, step-sisters Zoe and Lex find themselves back at the scene of their happiest yet most tragic summer… and chapters alternate between the present and that simmeringly tense time when three teenage girls became two.
The book has strong themes of friendship, rivalry and guilt, reminding the reader that the past will always find a way to catch up with you and eventually lies will rise to the surface. The scenes set in the past are painfully accurate about the insecurities of fifteen year old girls and the awful feeling of not wanting to be rejected. They also contain an abundance of contemporaneous references which made me reminisce (£50 Levi jeans! Alcopops! Anti-drug education in PSHE). The way both girls have daughters in the present chapters, bringing a new perspective, works well - and Lex’s daughter Cleo especially is a driving force of the plot.
I found the book addictive even if a bit slow at times, and definitely agree with the observation towards the start of the novel that fifteen is a dangerous age! I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I would have hoped, but couldn’t stop reading.
Overall, giving this 3.5 stars and recommending as a beach read for fans of slow burn, nostalgic thrillers.
I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Michael Joseph, Penguin via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The book has strong themes of friendship, rivalry and guilt, reminding the reader that the past will always find a way to catch up with you and eventually lies will rise to the surface. The scenes set in the past are painfully accurate about the insecurities of fifteen year old girls and the awful feeling of not wanting to be rejected. They also contain an abundance of contemporaneous references which made me reminisce (£50 Levi jeans! Alcopops! Anti-drug education in PSHE). The way both girls have daughters in the present chapters, bringing a new perspective, works well - and Lex’s daughter Cleo especially is a driving force of the plot.
I found the book addictive even if a bit slow at times, and definitely agree with the observation towards the start of the novel that fifteen is a dangerous age! I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I would have hoped, but couldn’t stop reading.
Overall, giving this 3.5 stars and recommending as a beach read for fans of slow burn, nostalgic thrillers.
I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Michael Joseph, Penguin via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
July 16, 2024
Twenty-five years ago a teenage girl went missing on the Greek island of Eos. When her friends return to the island memories are rekindled and dark secrets uncovered.
The Liars by Katherine Fleet is a psychological thriller that draws you in, drip-feeding you information, slowly building the tension and having you completely hooked so that you keep turning the page, desperate to know exactly what happened on the island of Eos twenty-five years ago.
We first meet our narrator, Zoe, as she is returning to the island of Eos, for her step-father's funeral. It is twenty-five years since she has visited the villa her step-father, Richard, loved. The place they retired to a decade ago. The story then alternates between now and Zoe's first visit, when she meets her soon-to-be step-sister, Lex.
Zoe and Lex are roughly the same age but light-years apart in every other respect. Zoe has been brought up by a single mother, living a normal life in inner city London and attends a state school. She's bright, works hard at school and appreciates the sacrifices her mother has made for her. Although Lex is a child of divorced parents she has led a life of privilege, something she takes for granted, she tends to look upon everyone with disdain.
Although the girls know of each other's existence, the holiday is the first time they have met. Unassuming Zoe is immediately wary of Lex but also in awe of her rebelliousness, something Lex is quick to flaunt. The pair quickly form a bond. The arrival of a family with long-time connections to Richard and Lex throws another teenage girl, Abigail, into the mix and this brings out Zoe's jealous side.
When the story returns to now and Richard's funeral, lots of old faces from twenty-five years ago return to the island. Gradually, memories are stirred, particularly as it's the twenty-fifth anniversary of the disappearance. Zoe's feelings of guilt slowly build and build, becoming oppressive, just like the summer heat before a storm. The reader is given tantalising hints about historic events as secrets are slowly revealed and we learn that no one has a complete picture of exactly what happened on the fateful night.
If you enjoyed my review please check out my book blog, Reading For Leisure
https://readingforleisure.blogspot.com/
or follow me on Twitter
@Debbie_Hart_UK
The Liars by Katherine Fleet is a psychological thriller that draws you in, drip-feeding you information, slowly building the tension and having you completely hooked so that you keep turning the page, desperate to know exactly what happened on the island of Eos twenty-five years ago.
We first meet our narrator, Zoe, as she is returning to the island of Eos, for her step-father's funeral. It is twenty-five years since she has visited the villa her step-father, Richard, loved. The place they retired to a decade ago. The story then alternates between now and Zoe's first visit, when she meets her soon-to-be step-sister, Lex.
Zoe and Lex are roughly the same age but light-years apart in every other respect. Zoe has been brought up by a single mother, living a normal life in inner city London and attends a state school. She's bright, works hard at school and appreciates the sacrifices her mother has made for her. Although Lex is a child of divorced parents she has led a life of privilege, something she takes for granted, she tends to look upon everyone with disdain.
Although the girls know of each other's existence, the holiday is the first time they have met. Unassuming Zoe is immediately wary of Lex but also in awe of her rebelliousness, something Lex is quick to flaunt. The pair quickly form a bond. The arrival of a family with long-time connections to Richard and Lex throws another teenage girl, Abigail, into the mix and this brings out Zoe's jealous side.
When the story returns to now and Richard's funeral, lots of old faces from twenty-five years ago return to the island. Gradually, memories are stirred, particularly as it's the twenty-fifth anniversary of the disappearance. Zoe's feelings of guilt slowly build and build, becoming oppressive, just like the summer heat before a storm. The reader is given tantalising hints about historic events as secrets are slowly revealed and we learn that no one has a complete picture of exactly what happened on the fateful night.
If you enjoyed my review please check out my book blog, Reading For Leisure
https://readingforleisure.blogspot.com/
or follow me on Twitter
@Debbie_Hart_UK
August 29, 2024
A cold case that has never been solved. Teenage friendship and insecurities. A sun-soaked summer of memories and secrets. A missing girl. The Liars has all this and more, making it the perfect scorching summer thriller.
Still haunted by memories of the sun-soaked summer she met Lex, Zoe hasn’t returned to Eos for twenty-five years. That summer wasn’t just one of teenage fun, friendship and insecurities, it was also when a girl went missing and her two friends swore to keep a dark secret forever. But now, Zoe is back for her step-father’s funeral and finds that the ghosts of that summer never left the island. And they’ve been waiting for her to return…
Atmospheric, intense, unnerving and addictive, this escapist thriller is not to be missed. Told in dual timelines, Katherine Fleet has packed a lot into these pages: heartbreak, grief, friendship, insecurity, anxiety, envy, secrets, lies, romance, and self-discovery. Her writing is skillful and captivating, a sense of uneasiness and foreboding woven through the story while darkness simmers beneath the surface. There is also a strong sense of place, Fleet transporting me to the island of Eos so evocatively that I could feel the sun rays hitting my skin, hear the waves and smell the suncream. From the start we know that something bad happened twenty-five years ago. A secret that Zoe and Lex had vowed to always hide and was so terrible it tore them apart. Chills ran down my spine and I was on the edge of my seat as I tried to guess what had happened to Abigail.
Zoe narrates the story in both timelines, offering the reader a glimpse into her psyche and showing us the other characters through her lens. This obviously makes it a biased account of events, but you get the sense that Zoe is a reliable narrator. Fleet’s characterisation is spot on, perfectly capturing the bittersweet teenage years with all their rebellion, angst, confusion and insecurity. She also perfectly captures the dynamics of teenage female friendships with all their drama, rivalry and jealousy.
So if you’re looking for a suspenseful and intriguing read you can escape with this summer, The Liars is for you.
Still haunted by memories of the sun-soaked summer she met Lex, Zoe hasn’t returned to Eos for twenty-five years. That summer wasn’t just one of teenage fun, friendship and insecurities, it was also when a girl went missing and her two friends swore to keep a dark secret forever. But now, Zoe is back for her step-father’s funeral and finds that the ghosts of that summer never left the island. And they’ve been waiting for her to return…
Atmospheric, intense, unnerving and addictive, this escapist thriller is not to be missed. Told in dual timelines, Katherine Fleet has packed a lot into these pages: heartbreak, grief, friendship, insecurity, anxiety, envy, secrets, lies, romance, and self-discovery. Her writing is skillful and captivating, a sense of uneasiness and foreboding woven through the story while darkness simmers beneath the surface. There is also a strong sense of place, Fleet transporting me to the island of Eos so evocatively that I could feel the sun rays hitting my skin, hear the waves and smell the suncream. From the start we know that something bad happened twenty-five years ago. A secret that Zoe and Lex had vowed to always hide and was so terrible it tore them apart. Chills ran down my spine and I was on the edge of my seat as I tried to guess what had happened to Abigail.
Zoe narrates the story in both timelines, offering the reader a glimpse into her psyche and showing us the other characters through her lens. This obviously makes it a biased account of events, but you get the sense that Zoe is a reliable narrator. Fleet’s characterisation is spot on, perfectly capturing the bittersweet teenage years with all their rebellion, angst, confusion and insecurity. She also perfectly captures the dynamics of teenage female friendships with all their drama, rivalry and jealousy.
So if you’re looking for a suspenseful and intriguing read you can escape with this summer, The Liars is for you.
October 1, 2024
Even though the author has changed her pen name from Kate Riordan to Katherine Fleet, I felt very much the same about The Liars as I did about her previous novels The Heatwave and Summer Fever. An idyllic setting, gorgeous writing, good characterisation, but let down by a bit of a weak plot. Everything builds and builds with a real sense of suspense and foreboding, but I end up feeling deflated rather than wowed.
In this book, there was one key plot point which fell completely flat for me in relation to the missing girl. It was the biggest secret throughout the story but was never fully explained, which was frustrating. I was expecting a big twist which never came.
I enjoyed reading The Liars - it definitely transported me away from the endless rain, and I loved the writing style which was so lyrical and evocative. I just felt a bit meh afterwards. I’ll keep trying this author to see if she cracks that last piece of the puzzle for me.
In this book, there was one key plot point which fell completely flat for me in relation to the missing girl. It was the biggest secret throughout the story but was never fully explained, which was frustrating. I was expecting a big twist which never came.
I enjoyed reading The Liars - it definitely transported me away from the endless rain, and I loved the writing style which was so lyrical and evocative. I just felt a bit meh afterwards. I’ll keep trying this author to see if she cracks that last piece of the puzzle for me.
April 28, 2024
I don't usually give five stars to thrillers because there is a certain similarity to them but I really enjoyed this novel from Katherine Fleet. She creates an incredible sense of place with the island of Eos and the house called Calliope which I fell entirely in love with and could iimagine despite never having been to Greece. Against this well crafted backdrop are the very real characters of Lex and Zoe, thrown together at the age of fifteen when their parents fall in love and decide to marry. Their emotional teenage rollercoaster feels very real especially when the additional character of Abigail is introduced.
The book is told in alternate chapters of now, as Zoe and Lex return to the island after twenty five years away, for Richard's funeral, and then, the golden summer when they first met and their parents married. That first summer ended suddenly when Abigail went missing and the event has coloured the lives of Zoe and Lex ever since.
The author builds the atmosphere very well and there is no confusion between the two timelines. Suspense builds as more and more is revealed until the final few chapters when the past and the present almost collide to a very satisfying conclusion.
An excellent read that will stay with me for a while.
With thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for an early copy in return for an honest review.
The book is told in alternate chapters of now, as Zoe and Lex return to the island after twenty five years away, for Richard's funeral, and then, the golden summer when they first met and their parents married. That first summer ended suddenly when Abigail went missing and the event has coloured the lives of Zoe and Lex ever since.
The author builds the atmosphere very well and there is no confusion between the two timelines. Suspense builds as more and more is revealed until the final few chapters when the past and the present almost collide to a very satisfying conclusion.
An excellent read that will stay with me for a while.
With thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for an early copy in return for an honest review.
August 2, 2024
Unnerving what happened Thriller. ........
Zoes Mum marries Lex's Dad so they become ½ sisters., and meet on a Greek Island where the rich Dad and the Air hostest are staying in his Cottage/ Villa., the island they will get married on. One has managed to escape his West Ham routes the other is about to. But this is love and its real the thriller is on the girls story both 15 and Abigal is as well whose mum is Lez's God mother and you wouldn't wish that on anyone.or worse still Abigals fate to hand her as her real mum!!!!!
The story is split between the time they met and 25 years later when the 2 sisters return for Richards funeral (the Dad). This is where we begin to understand what happened 25 years before and why Abigal disappeared whereabouts still unknown. A thriller with some great twists some horrendous characters thrown in but the girls and patents are wonderful floured like us all but you'd like them in teal life unless you Penny the Greek translation in this case world be unprintable in most respected places. I didn't like Liam either but you can make your own mind up on him.
The story flows really well and I certainly didn't want to put it down but it's not a one sitter size book for me so bewarned. You may have to put it down to sleep eat etc. We'll sleep anyway.
I feel this can only be a 5 star rating I just loved it I got you agree.
Zoes Mum marries Lex's Dad so they become ½ sisters., and meet on a Greek Island where the rich Dad and the Air hostest are staying in his Cottage/ Villa., the island they will get married on. One has managed to escape his West Ham routes the other is about to. But this is love and its real the thriller is on the girls story both 15 and Abigal is as well whose mum is Lez's God mother and you wouldn't wish that on anyone.or worse still Abigals fate to hand her as her real mum!!!!!
The story is split between the time they met and 25 years later when the 2 sisters return for Richards funeral (the Dad). This is where we begin to understand what happened 25 years before and why Abigal disappeared whereabouts still unknown. A thriller with some great twists some horrendous characters thrown in but the girls and patents are wonderful floured like us all but you'd like them in teal life unless you Penny the Greek translation in this case world be unprintable in most respected places. I didn't like Liam either but you can make your own mind up on him.
The story flows really well and I certainly didn't want to put it down but it's not a one sitter size book for me so bewarned. You may have to put it down to sleep eat etc. We'll sleep anyway.
I feel this can only be a 5 star rating I just loved it I got you agree.
August 30, 2024
The Liars is an atmospheric mystery set on a Greek island that will draw you in as the story unfolds.
Stepsisters Zoe and Lex return to the family home on Eos for the funeral of Lex’s father Richard. Two very different people thrown together as teenagers twenty five years previously following their parents’ whirlwind romance, they spent one summer together on the island - but as a result of dramatic events the night of their parents’ wedding they haven’t seen each other since. Zoe and Lex are both harbouring secrets about that night - will their return to the island bring to the surface the truth they’ve been hiding from all these years?
Moving between then and now, this is a story that builds as we learn what happened that summer. The relatively slow burn enables us to really get to know Zoe and Lex, and Fleet does an excellent job of exploring teenage angst and complex family dynamics. That, combined with the underlying mystery and Fleet’s ability to evoke a sense of place - the island of Eos feels very real and Calliope, the family house, almost feels like a character in its own right - makes for an intriguing read that I very much enjoyed.
Stepsisters Zoe and Lex return to the family home on Eos for the funeral of Lex’s father Richard. Two very different people thrown together as teenagers twenty five years previously following their parents’ whirlwind romance, they spent one summer together on the island - but as a result of dramatic events the night of their parents’ wedding they haven’t seen each other since. Zoe and Lex are both harbouring secrets about that night - will their return to the island bring to the surface the truth they’ve been hiding from all these years?
Moving between then and now, this is a story that builds as we learn what happened that summer. The relatively slow burn enables us to really get to know Zoe and Lex, and Fleet does an excellent job of exploring teenage angst and complex family dynamics. That, combined with the underlying mystery and Fleet’s ability to evoke a sense of place - the island of Eos feels very real and Calliope, the family house, almost feels like a character in its own right - makes for an intriguing read that I very much enjoyed.
March 26, 2024
Impeccable scene setting made the Greek Island of Eos as much a part of this novel as the well written characters. Be warned though, its not all sunshine and bougainvillea, tavernas and tzatziki, at the heart of this novel is a very readable tale of guilt, remorse, suspense, and lies... so many lies.
Zoe, Lex and Pabs, that summer they were friends, close in age but miles apart as individuals. This novel portrayed perfectly teenage girls at their most vulnerable, most secretive and most dangerous. They spent one summer together on Eos, step-sisters Zoe and Lex didn't return again until the death of their father twenty five years later gave them no choice.
Told in the then and now this novel seamlessly moved back and forth and slowly the secrets of a long gone summer revealed themselves. Perfectly paced with great characters, take this one on holiday with you - its the perfect summer read.
My thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the review copy, I was under no obligation and all opinions expressed are my own
Zoe, Lex and Pabs, that summer they were friends, close in age but miles apart as individuals. This novel portrayed perfectly teenage girls at their most vulnerable, most secretive and most dangerous. They spent one summer together on Eos, step-sisters Zoe and Lex didn't return again until the death of their father twenty five years later gave them no choice.
Told in the then and now this novel seamlessly moved back and forth and slowly the secrets of a long gone summer revealed themselves. Perfectly paced with great characters, take this one on holiday with you - its the perfect summer read.
My thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the review copy, I was under no obligation and all opinions expressed are my own
August 10, 2024
The Liars is a slow burn of a book but worked really well.
Zoe and Lex are thrown together after Zoe’s mum and Lex’s dad decide to marry. They all meet at Lex’s dad’s villa in Eos, Lex is older than Zoe and although they get on they are very different people. Lex’s god mother is coming to the wedding ringing along her daughter Abigail, there is rivalry between her and Zoe as both try to get Lex’s attention until everything gets out of hand on the wedding day night and Abigail is nowhere to be found or is she?
This was a slow burn that worked well, I enjoyed the then and now alternate chapters, then was twenty five years ago with everything leading up to the wedding and the disappearance of Abigail and now is Zoe and Lex coming together for the first time since then for Lex’s dads funeral. I enjoyed the setting and the characters and was a great beach read.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.
Zoe and Lex are thrown together after Zoe’s mum and Lex’s dad decide to marry. They all meet at Lex’s dad’s villa in Eos, Lex is older than Zoe and although they get on they are very different people. Lex’s god mother is coming to the wedding ringing along her daughter Abigail, there is rivalry between her and Zoe as both try to get Lex’s attention until everything gets out of hand on the wedding day night and Abigail is nowhere to be found or is she?
This was a slow burn that worked well, I enjoyed the then and now alternate chapters, then was twenty five years ago with everything leading up to the wedding and the disappearance of Abigail and now is Zoe and Lex coming together for the first time since then for Lex’s dads funeral. I enjoyed the setting and the characters and was a great beach read.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.
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