The Liar Among Us

by Bishhal Paull

At Valorhouse International, an elite boarding school shrouded in the mist-drenched hills of Sikkim, secrets don’t stay buried. They fester.

A boy goes missing. And when a chilling confession crackles through the school’s underground radio, a witness swears they saw the missing boy return the night he vanished- the campus erupts in paranoia. Was it a hoax? A ghost story? Or something far more dangerous?

For Angad Sandhu, a freshman hungry for recognition, this is his chance to resurrect the forgotten radio club and uncover the truth. But as he and a ragtag crew of outcasts peel back the lies, they awaken something dark, hungry and vengeful.

Strange whispers echo in empty halls. Shadows move where they shouldn’t. Students start vanishing-first in secret, then in plain sight.

The deeper they dig, the clearer it becomes: Valorhouse doesn’t want its secrets found. And if Angad isn’t careful, he’ll be the next to disappear.

The truth is out there. But will it kill them first?

300 pages, Paperback

First published October 14, 2025

Reviews

[LibroReview · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to get into Dark Academia, but you get intimidated by the size and commitment, if you are worried you’ll regret it or get bored, and want to dip your toes into it in a desi setting, this is your book!

My biggest issue with stories set in Western schools is that I can’t relate to anything – the location, the structure of the academic year, the kinds of students and stereotypes. I can’t place myself there, can’t visualise the school. Who knew the simple solution to this problem is to read such a story, but in an Indian Setting!
First, the mystery is intriguing. Second, the out-of-the-box elements make it engaging. Third, the different motives of the characters, revealing human nature, make it entertaining and complex. And fourth, all of that wrapped up in chilling scenes and the quick pace makes it unputdownable.
It’s a perfect read for Winters. A great pick for beginners. The YA genre is a cherry on top of a very deliciously dark cake.

[a_geminireader · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are books that you read, and then there are books that quietly crawl under your skin. " The Liar Among Us" by Bishhal Paul is definitely one of them.

Set against the mist-covered hills of Sikkim, this psychological thriller begins with Angad, a freshman at Valorhouse International. What starts as an innocent attempt to revive the school’s radio club slowly unravels into a web of secrets, guilt, and buried pain. Students go missing, confessions whisper through the static, and every corner of the school hides something darker than it seems.

But what truly sets this book apart isn’t just its mystery, it’s the emotions it awakens. The strained bond between Angad and his father, the unspoken fear of not being “enough,” the loneliness hidden behind ambition, it’s all heartbreakingly real. Paul writes with a quiet intensity that makes you pause and reflect on your own masks and truths.

Every chapter peels away another layer of human nature, our hunger for validation, our fear of being forgotten, and the lies we tell to survive. Beneath the suspense lies a deep reflection on class, caste, and the illusion of perfection that society glorifies.

When I finished this book, I sat still for a few minutes, just processing everything it stirred within me. It wasn’t just about solving the mystery; it was about facing the ones we all carry inside. There were moments that made me ache, moments that made me question, and moments that reminded me how fragile and complex the human heart can be. It left me with a strange calmness, the kind that only comes when a story truly touches something within you.

This isn’t just a thriller; it’s a haunting exploration of growing up, belonging, and breaking free from invisible cages. Dark yet poetic, unsettling yet deeply human, this book lingers long after the final page.

[Booknerds Cornerrrr · Rating 5 out of 5]

"For me, truth itself can be the most terrifying illusion of all."

A boy goes missing at the Valorhouse International boarding school, situated in the hills of Sikkim 🗻
Then one night, a strange confession plays on the school’s underground radio on which someone claims they saw the missing boy return 👀
Angad Sandhu, a freshman takes it up on him to solve the missing mystery. 🕵
In doing so, the school’s forgotten radio club comes alive again 📻
But what starts as curiosity soon turns into an obsession. Angad and his group of friends find themselves caught in a maze of secrets, lies, and folklore that the school has buried for years.
Each clue leads to another twist. 🔍

The book is divided into 28 mid length chapters. 🗞

For a debut novel, the book is written so good. The strong vocabulary used, the setting and the characters, the whole psychological and mysterious theme to it, just mind blown.
The author beautifully distinguished between truth and deception, friendship and fear, reason and myth.

[Alishba Kamal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Liar Among Us was an engaging read that I finished in just a few days because the mystery, drama, and twists kept pulling me in. The mix of school life dynamics with a suspenseful and slightly eerie atmosphere felt fresh and unpredictable. The ending took me completely by surprise and left me with so many questions in a good way. A gripping and fast paced read for anyone who enjoys thrillers with a dramatic touch.

[Rahul Vishnoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

-Lost and Found in a Mysterious School-
Review of 'The Liar Among Us' by Bishhal Paul

Quote Alert
"𝐀 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩 𝐣𝐨𝐥𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐦𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐤, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬. 𝐌𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞. 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬. 𝐌𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐠𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐲, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤, 𝐦𝐲 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐍𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬. 𝐌𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭. 𝐈 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝, 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐞:
'𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐛 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐬. 𝐇𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞'"

What's the price one has to pay for a truth? Asks Paull in the beginning of his ambitious coming of age story. The Liar Among Us is set in a mysterious school where secrets run deep, where conniving minds are knitting nefarious schemes, where a ghost of boy has been set loose, where a devi awakens and...you get the drift. A hell lot more of drama and thrills waiting to be unleashed out of the plot.

So what is it about? Angad, a Punjabi lad from a small Punjabi town Moga gets a ticket to a big school: Valorhouse International, an elite boarding school shrouded in the mist-drenched hills of Sikkim. As he reaches the school, he encounters bullying. As the time passes on, the secrets that lurk in the corridors of the school threaen to spill out. Angad revives a radio club where secret confessions lead to a major reveal:
A boy who had gotten lost is seen again in the school. But what really happened and can it get repeated? What if more students go missing? Is something evil lurking in the school? Or is the school and epitome of evil? Well, I am not going to tell you everything here. Pick up the book and find out more.

Paull has written Angad as an ordinary boy who finds himself in extraordinary circumstances. He is made to suffer quite a lot of bullying, not just at school but to some extent in his home too where his father is not ready to forgive a particular mistake he is supposed to have committed in the childhood. Paull writes about Angad:
"My style isn't just about looking good, it's my armour. I've always been hyper-aware of how people see me-impossible not to, growing up here. Every item in my wardrobe screams 'confident, untouchable, better than you think. I need people to see me as someone who rises above judgements, too polished for dusty old scandals."

The author has also highlighted the uncomfortable relationship Angad shares with his father. He arrives in school without his blessings and the beginning of the book is filled with tense conversations between the two. Paull writes:
"I wanted him to know how difficult it is to secure an admission there and yet I made the cut on my own, a full scholarship owing to my national championship in swimming. I wanted him to pat my back and be proud of me. I wanted him to embrace me and make plans of taking the whole family on a campus tour when they come to drop me. But none of it mattered. Because somewhere along the way, he stopped seeing who I've become. The worst thing about making a terrible mistake is not being forgiven ever."

The author writes about teenage angst with ease, dexterity and a delicate sensitivity that makes you feel for these characters. He explores the father-son relationship with a deft hand, exposing the everyday struggles that simmer inside a household. He writes:
"They say children must grow up with time. But there comes a time, unmarked by birthdays and milestones, when parents should too. Not in age, which arrives uninvited, but in spirit. In understanding that the child they once carried now carries.their own encumbrance. No one speaks of the adults stranded in stories they once starred in, heroes in their own eyes, blind to the harm in ours. We outgrow tantrums, fairy tales and the need to be forgiven. They hold onto old wounds like heirlooms, mistaking control for care, silence for peace."

The author also takes a dig at the prevalent caste based discrimination. He writes: "Caste, in our country, is the river beneath the river: unseen, yet pulling every current. It is smoke with no shape but a scent that clings to your hair, the hush beneath music, the fault line under polished marble. You might shed your accent, your village, even your god. But caste coils around you like old roots gripping temple stone, whispering secrets only the earth remembers. It is a script written invisible ink, revealing itself under the heat of questions."

Valor International is presented as an enigmatic institute that houses secrets galore:
"But beneath the crest lies a colonial hangover that is pretty evident. Here, meritocracy is weaponized as spectacle, and camaraderie is collateral damage. Students arrive with wide eyes and open hearts, only to find themselves ranked, watched and sharpened against one another. In the name of excellence, they are taught to outpace, outshine, outmanoeuvre, long before they are taught to belong. What is promised as a crucible for brilliance too often becomes a theatre of quiet wars, where the walls are polished and the bars are gold, glorified cages masquerading as opportunity.

Some portions of the story are goosebumps inducing. The story of Nepal China war was quite intriguing. And these lines that author wrote pushed me to edge of my chair:
"That's been waiting a long time. You're lucky it found you' he.says, his voice brittle, like bark peeling from a tree."You can call it a yantra; the old shopkeeper says suddenly, his voice coarse yet clear behind him.'But we call it Nyiong-ngo. It belongs to a powerful demigod, Sudrika. She lives amongst us in another realm."
Sree looks at him. 'That's not just a relic. That is the deity. You should take her with you."

Leaving you with my favourite lines: 'They'll start digging now... and when you stir the earth long enough, it pulls up everything... even things we've all buried for a reason.'
Pick it up this festive season.

[Sabia Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Liar Among Us By Bishhal Paull

Soon to be adapted into a major motion series, The Liar Among Us by Bishhal Paull truly deserves the spotlight. If this is the direction Indian authors are taking the Young Adult genre, I’m absolutely here for it.

I’ll be completely honest during the first 50 pages, I found myself searching for the core storyline. Paull uses this space to quietly build his premise, and once it’s set, the real roller coaster begins.

The novel opens with a striking line: “Truth is never absolute. It wears many faces. Some noble, some monstrous.” And from that moment, you know you’re stepping into a world of layered truths and hidden wounds.

Angad Sandhu, who calls himself a coward, is a national-level swimming champion from Punjab. Behind his medals, however, lies a turbulent inner world, a past mistake that shattered both his family and his childhood. Though he lives under the same roof, he feels unseen; his victories go unnoticed. Even the day the Letter arrived, the kind that usually makes headlines, there was no joy, no pride, no celebration.

To his family, Angad’s relentless efforts to bring them honour are seen as nothing more than selfish pursuits. So when he’s selected to join Valorhouse International, an elite boarding school that admits only those with name, fame, wealth, or pedigree , it feels almost unreal.

Angad enters this prestigious institution through a sports-quota scholarship, and for the first time, he senses a turning point in his life. And indeed, it becomes exactly that.

As a freshie, Angad is starving for recognition. So on his very first day at Valorhouse, he ends up accepting a dare from the seniors, all in an attempt to impress Naomi Advani, the senior heart-throb everyone talks about. (Yes, very Bollywood-esque, and honestly… quite entertaining!)

But Valorhouse is not simply a school. It’s a stage where ambition, envy, privilege, and fear coexist beneath polished hallways and perfect reputations. And beneath that glitter lies a growing darkness.

A boy has gone missing (Madhab), and a confession turn into rumours, and rumours quickly spiral into something far more unsettling. Strange, almost supernatural occurrences begin to shadow the campus, unexplained messages, eerie clues, and signs that suggest someone or something is trying to communicate from beyond the ordinary.

Mandira Deka, Madhab’s mother, a figure whose quiet presence carries profound emotional weight. She embodies the raw ache of unanswered questions. Mandira’s grief is haunting but dignified, reminding us that behind every missing student is a mother holding on to hope with trembling hands. Her moments in the story add a human tenderness that deepens the narrative’s stakes.

Angad soon finds himself entangled with a group of students, each battling their own secrets. His own room mate Sree, sharp ,silent and stubborn, (also a scholarship student) faces discrimination because of his caste and is surrounded by strange hallucinations ,whose instincts lead him into dangerous territory.

Together, they navigate a maze of lies, loyalties, and hidden motives. Each clue they uncover shakes their trust in Valorhouse and in each other. And somewhere along the way, Angad’s journey shifts from seeking applause to finding courage, identity, and a purpose he never expected to claim.

Valorhouse shapes him in ways his family never saw in him, pushing him to confront not just the mysteries around him, but the shadows within himself.

Read the book to unearth the truths of this mystery:
Will Angad and his unlikely group manage to unravel the secrets buried within Valorhouse, exposing the lies, or the liar among them? Or will Angad become the next student to vanish into the school’s shadows?

As much as I enjoyed reading this book, there were a few moments where the pace dipped slightly. Some parts of the narration lean into a preachy tone, and a few scenes carry a touch of filmy drama, but given that it’s headed for a major motion series, the cinematic flair feels almost inevitable. These minor bumps, however, never take away from the intrigue or the immersive atmosphere Paull creates.

Beyond the school politics, the mystery, and the supernatural tension, Bishhal Paull does more than simply entertain, he opens up conversations that deserve space on a larger stage. The Liar Among Us subtly but powerfully raises questions about caste-based discrimination, the often-overlooked mental health struggles faced by teenagers, and the stigma surrounding same-sex love and relationships. What may appear, on the surface, to be a fast-paced YA thriller carries an undercurrent that runs far deeper, urging readers to reflect on the realities young people navigate every day.

[Souvik Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into The Liar Among Us wanting a tense boarding-school mystery with a local flavour — and Bishhal Paull delivered exactly that. From page one I felt the book’s promise: a missing boy, a whisper over a forgotten radio, and a group of students chasing a truth that keeps slipping through their fingers. The premise hooked me, and I stayed because the story kept finding quieter, stranger ways to unsettle me.

Setting & atmosphere — Valorhouse lived for me
Valorhouse International — the misty, high-altitude boarding school in Sikkim — is the novel’s beating heart. Paull paints it as a place that looks respectable on the outside but breathes secrets from every corridor and dormitory. The fog, the distant hills, the rituals of a closed institution all create a claustrophobic, almost tactile atmosphere that made me feel both nostalgic for schooldays and deeply uneasy about what an elite system can hide. The setting isn’t window-dressing; it’s active in the plot and the mood.

Characters — Angad and the ragtag crew
Angad Sandhu, the freshman who revives the radio club, is the book’s emotional anchor. He’s hungry to be seen, eager for purpose, and imperfect in a way that made me root for him rather than admire him. The other students around him are sketched with enough detail that I cared about their small acts of courage and cowardice. Paull resists turning them into pure archetypes; even the “outcasts” have private, believable motives that complicate every choice they make. My sympathy for Angad grew as the stakes did.

Folklore & the supernatural — a local pulse
One of the book’s smartest moves is how it weaves in regional folklore — names and concepts like Baka, Sudrika, and the more whimsical-yet-threatening Fogfriends — without making the story feel like a lecture on mythology. The supernatural elements arrive as suggestions, as rumors and half-remembered tales, and that restraint made them more effective for me. They never fully explain everything, and I liked that: the ambiguity keeps the threat alive and lets the reader’s imagination complete the picture.

Themes — truth, performance and institutional pressure
Beneath the mystery is a sharper book about performance and how institutions reward certain faces while crushing others. Valorhouse’s systems — the unspoken hierarchies, the shields for excellence and shame — make the search for the missing boy also a search for identity and agency. I found Paull asking quietly difficult questions about what it costs to be seen and what kinds of lies a community tolerates to preserve its image. Those social undercurrents gave the supernatural unease real human stakes.

Pacing & prose — readable with moments of real tension
The novel moves with a steady, readable pace. Paull can be economical when he needs to be and lyrical when the atmosphere demands it. The scares are rarely jumpy; they creep in through an offhand line of dialogue, a strange transmission on the radio, or a corridor that feels too empty. That steady accumulation of dread worked for me — I never felt jolted out of the world he’d built.

What I loved most
I loved how the book felt rooted — not just in a school setting any writer could invent, but in the particular cultural textures of the Northeast. That rootedness made the supernatural more original and the characters’ reactions truer. I also appreciated that Paull trusted the reader; he refused to tie every loose end with a neat bow, which left the book lingering with me after I closed it.

Small quibbles
If I have to nitpick, there were moments when the blend of folklore and plot mechanics felt slightly uneven — a scene that leans heavily on myth may not always slot perfectly into the investigative rhythm. A couple of secondary arcs could have used a touch more room to breathe. These are small gripes next to what the book accomplishes, but they kept the story from being flawless for me.

Final verdict — who should read it
The Liar Among Us is for readers who like board-school mysteries with a heartbeat: those who enjoy atmospheric tension, morally complicated teens, and supernatural elements grounded in local myth. It’s a strong YA debut that brings a fresh voice and a distinct cultural perspective to a familiar genre. I finished it satisfied, slightly unsettled, and already thinking about which passages I’d return to

[Himanshu · Rating 5 out of 5]

🥀While some novels gradually increase the tension, others, like "The Liar Among Us", have an atmosphere that seems to be a living, breathing character from the first chapter. Bishhal Paull immediately immerses you in the misty atmosphere of Valorhouse International, a boarding school nestled high in Sikkim's highlands. Everything appears picture perfect until you begin to notice the shadows. The story begins with a straightforward yet terrifying premise: a boy disappears. However, the author won't allow this to be another campus enigma. Rather, he blends the disappearance with a disturbing rumor that was broadcast over the school's defunct radio system a confession that shouldn't have come from someone who shouldn't have been seen.

🥀The story becomes more compelling as the anonymous confession is broadcast over the school's defunct radio system. The story's cadence is entirely altered at that point. Within Valorhouse, the notion that someone saw those missing youngster return after he was purportedly gone starts a chain reaction. The mistrust, suspicion, and paranoia spread like wildfire among the student body. The author does a fantastic job of illustrating how terror alters individuals, friendships, along with entire organizations. Angad Sandhu, who is young, ambitious, imperfect, and very relatable, is at the center of the narrative. Angad is not your normal "selected one." He is uncomfortable, desperate for approval, and bumbling through puberty while attempting to make understanding of something far greater than himself.

🥀The author is a master pacer when it comes to writing the book. He changes course just when you're thinking you understand what's going on, revealing details that make your assumptions more difficult to understand. The school sounds less like an institution and more like a trap meant to ensnare its own pupils as the disappearances increase and panic spreads like wildfire. Throughout the entire book, the question remains: What is Valorhouse so frantically attempting to conceal? This book's brilliance lies in its ability to keep you guessing right up until the very last moment. Every hint counts. Every character has facets that are hidden from view. There are repercussions for every falsehood. I'll just state this without giving anything away: this is more than just a mystery. Fear, one's identity, and the perilous ways the past retaliates when hidden facts are revealed are all themes in this tale. It captivates you with suspense, shocks you with turns, and lingers long after the final page. This novel is definitely worth picking up if you enjoy dark academia, atmospheric mysteries, school secrets, and riddles that make you shudder.

[Shruti k · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s something about reading a boarding school story — the gates that feel like a new beginning, the long corridors where friendships and secrets are born, and the sense that the world outside doesn’t exist for a while. This story captures that world beautifully, but turns it into something far more unsettling. Valorhouse International, hidden in the misty hills of Sikkim, is not your usual school of uniforms and teenage chatter. It’s a place where silence has a pulse, where truth lives behind locked doors, and where every friendship carries a shadow.

The story begins when a student goes missing, and one night, a voice on the school’s old radio confesses to having seen him return. That one broadcast changes everything. Angad Sandhu, a freshman who only wanted to belong, finds himself drawn into the mystery along with a small group of misfit students. Together, they revive the abandoned radio club, hoping to uncover the truth. But as they dig deeper, they discover that Valorhouse is built on more than just discipline and reputation — it’s built on lies, guilt, and something far darker than anyone expected.

What I loved most is how this book goes beyond its mystery. Yes, there are secrets and strange happenings, but at its core, it’s about why we lie — to others, and to ourselves. It’s about the loneliness of growing up, the need to be seen, and the courage it takes to tell the truth when it’s easier to hide. Every character feels raw and real — flawed, scared, desperate for connection. You don’t just read about them; you remember them.

There’s something hauntingly calm about his writing — gentle, visual, and full of tension. He turns ordinary moments into echoes, and Valorhouse into a place you can’t stop thinking about.

By the end, I wasn’t sure if I’d read a mystery, a ghost story, or a quiet confession about being young and lost. All I know is that it stayed with me. And somewhere between the rain-soaked hills and those late-night radio confessions, I found myself missing the magic of another school — Hogwarts — and three friends who once faced the darkness together. Because this book, too, reminds you that even in the darkest corners, friendship and courage still matter.

[Mahi Aggarwal · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Liar Among Us" by Bishhal Paull is a dark, atmospheric, and utterly gripping story set in the misty hills of Sikkim. It draws you into the world of Valorhouse International, an elite boarding school where secrets hide behind polished smiles and whispers travel faster than truth. The story begins when a student mysteriously disappears and that one event unravels a series of chilling discoveries, buried confessions, and strange happenings that blur the line between what’s real and what’s imagined.

What fascinated me most about this book is how beautifully author captures the feeling of being young, curious, and afraid all at once. Through the eyes of Angad Sandhu, a freshman who revives the school’s forgotten radio club, we witness the unraveling of something far greater than a simple mystery. When the school’s underground radio station suddenly broadcasts a confession linked to the missing boy, everything changes. Each chapter tightens the web of suspense and you can’t help but wonder who’s lying and why.

The setting itself feels alive. The mist-covered hills, the quiet dorms, the dark corridors , they all add to the eerie charm of the story. Author doesn’t just tell a thriller, he builds a world where every shadow feels like it’s hiding a secret. What I truly appreciated was the way he blends folklore, superstition, and teenage angst so effortlessly. The supernatural undertones never feel forced , they linger like whispers you can’t quite ignore.

At its core, this book isn’t just about lies or mysteries. It’s about human nature ,our hunger for truth, our fear of it, and the masks we wear to survive. The characters are flawed, believable, and each one carries their own version of guilt and truth. By the end, you realize the story isn’t just about finding the liar among them, but about recognizing the lies within ourselves.

Overall this book is sharp, haunting, and deeply thought-provoking. It reminds you that sometimes, the most dangerous secrets are the ones we keep inside. I strongly recommend this chilling, fast paced book.

[Rai · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are books that entertain, and then there are books that unsettle you. The Liar Among Us firmly belongs to the latter. Nestled amidst the hills, this dark and atmospheric thriller pulled me straight into the eerie corridors of Valorhouse International, an elite boarding school where every secret feels alive. The premise, a missing student named Madhab, a mysterious radio confession, and a group of students determined to uncover the truth, had me hooked from the very first page. As the story unfolded, I could almost hear the static of that underground radio echoing in the night, carrying whispers that chilled my spine.

What I loved most was how is Bishhal Paull masterfully blended the essence of dark academia, psychological suspense, and supernatural mystery into one seamless narrative. The world-building felt incredibly real, the fog-draped campus, the paranoia that slowly creeps in, and the sense that danger is always one step ahead. Angad Sandhu, the protagonist, is flawed yet deeply relatable, his thirst for recognition and courage to seek the truth make him stand out amidst the chaos. His counterpart Krish would stop at nothing to achieve his goal and Angad became a thorn in his side. Every twist felt unexpected yet perfectly placed, keeping me guessing right till the haunting climax.

I just wish the supernatural elements could have blended better with the storyline. The author did highlight that the involvement of local folklores and supernatural elements saved some of the students however I found it difficult to understand how is it associated to the main story of Madhab's disappearance.

The Liar Among Us isn’t just a thriller, it is an exploration of fear, guilt, and the price of unearthing buried truths. If you are drawn to YA thrillers, boarding school mysteries, or books like One of Us Is Lying and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, this one deserves a spot on your shelf. I finished it in one breathless sitting, heart racing and mind spinning, wondering how many lies does it take to protect a secret?

[Kitabi Keeda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A chilling boarding school mystery where every secret has a price.

🕵🏻‍♂️INSIGHT: The liar among us is a story set in a boarding school in the misty hills of sikkim where a boy mysteriously goes missing and a strange confession is played through the school’s underground radio. The story follows Angad Sandhu, a new comer, who gets pulled into a mystery while reviving the radio club. As Angad digs deeper and gets closer to the truth, he realises the school isn’t perfect as it seems to be— everyone is hiding something and none is completely honest.

🕵🏻‍♂️REVIEW: The writing style immediately pulls you into its atmosphere. The tone of the book is quiet but tense and without over explaining author does a good job making the school setting feel mysterious. The writing is straight forward, easy to follow and short chapters help keep the book moving.

Flow of the book is mostly smooth especially in the beginning where the suspense kicks in quickly. But the middle section feels a bit slow and repetitive in places. Some scenes jump quickly without enough buildup, which makes a few moments feel abrupt. But whenever the tension rises, the book becomes very gripping again.

Character wise Angad is written well, and you can feel his confusion and curiosity, but other characters feel distant. The best part of the book is the way it plays with secrets and guilts- it makes you question everyone. Uneven pacing is its weakest part but despite this the book manages to keep you hooked and thinking.

🕵🏻‍♂️STRENGTH:
1. The beginning is very engaging and pulls you into the story instantly.
2. Short chapters keeps the pacing tight.
3. ⁠The writing is simple, visual, and feels cinematic.
4. ⁠Angad’s character is well written and developed.

🕵🏻‍♂️WEAKNESS:
1. The middle section slows down and feels repetitive at times.
2. ⁠Supporting characters aren’t explored enough.
3. ⁠The pacing isn’t consistent- some moment feels rushed while others drag

🕵🏻‍♂️TARGET READER: 16+

🕵🏻‍♂️GENRE: Psychological Thriller / Mystery / Dark Academia

🕵🏻‍♂️RATING: 4/5

[Avinash Priya · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨There’s a particular thrill in stories steeped in both mystery and menace, and this one delivers it instantly drawing you into a world where every shadow seems aware and every secret feels poised to consume you.

✨The Liar Among Us immediately immerses the reader in the intricate psyche of its narrator, Angad—a self-proclaimed coward who survives by wearing emotional masks. Haunted by a painful past and the weight of his family’s disapproval, especially his father’s, Angad arrives at the prestigious Valorhouse International in search of redemption and a place that might finally validate him. What he finds instead is the unsettling truth that survival often demands quiet betrayals of one’s own identity.

✨Valorhouse, hailed as a “fortress of excellence,” quickly reveals its ruthless underbelly. Here, meritocracy is sharpened into a weapon, and power dynamics are carefully engineered by the senior class. Angad’s entry disrupts these hierarchies, pulling him into competitive races, public humiliations, and the constant pressure to prove his worth. The novel captures the electric tension of a high-stakes boarding school where reputation is fragile and acceptance is hard-won.

✨Looming beneath this polished academic facade is the mystery of Madhab, a student who vanished without a trace. His absence casts a long, ghostly shadow over the campus, fueling whispered sightings and strange occurrences that infuse the story with a distinctly Gothic atmosphere. Anonymous confessions broadcast through the revived radio club amplify this eeriness, blurring the line between truth, fear, and legend.

✨Yet amid the competition and secrets, the emotional core lies in the tentative bonds Angad forms with his peers—particularly his methodical roommate Sree and the fiercely independent Arisha. Their fragile alliances suggest that genuine human connection may be the only shield against Valorhouse’s isolating and unforgiving world.

✨This is a compelling read for anyone drawn to stories where institutional critique, psychological depth, and atmospheric suspense intertwine.

[Bookish Simzz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Liar Among Us by Bishhal Paul is a gripping, atmospheric mystery that keeps you hooked from start to finish. Set in Valorhouse International, a prestigious yet unsettling College campus covered in the mist-covered hills of sikkim, the story begins when a boy named Angad got admission in Valorhouse International college and he was eager to get recognised in college. Then one day a boy named Madhab suddenly goes missing. He isn’t found anywhere, and the entire campus is thrown into fear and confusion.
Angad, along with his friends Sree and Arisha, takes it upon themselves to uncover the truth. They follow every clue they find, but just when it seems like they’re close to understanding what really happened, a new twist appears and changes everything. This constant shift in the story makes the book extremely addictive.
One of the strong points of the novel is how well the author explains the characters backgrounds. We get to know where they come from, what their families are like and the struggles they carry. Angad’s own past is emotional his father is angry with him because of a mistake he made as a child, and this affects his confidence throughout the story. Even Madhab, the missing boy, gets a powerful moment at the end through a letter where he finally shares his issues and pain with his mother. These personal details make the characters feel real and relatable.

The book also has a dark academia, supernatural edge. There are scenes that feel like black magic or strange rituals, which add a frightening and mysterious tone to the investigation. These moments are written in a way that makes you feel the tension right alongside the characters.

Overall, The Liar Among Us is full of suspense, emotion, and unexpected turns. The mix of mystery, horror, and strong character development makes it a very engaging read. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys fastpaced thrillers with a deep emotional side.

[Roshni Mali · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Unputdownable Psychological Thriller That Redefines Deception and Trust!

“The Liar Among Us” by Bishhal Paull is a brilliantly layered psychological thriller that explores how far people will go to protect their truths and how easily trust can shatter when lies begin to surface. From the very first chapter, the book pulls you into a world filled with secrets, manipulation, and emotions so raw that you can almost feel the tension seeping off the pages.

What makes this novel truly compelling is not just the mystery, but the psychological realism that drives it. Each character is flawed yet deeply human — their fears, ambitions, and guilt are portrayed so vividly that you can’t help but empathize, even with the ones who deceive. Paull’s writing style is sharp, immersive, and cinematic — every twist is perfectly timed, every revelation leaves you stunned, and every emotion feels genuine.

The pacing is excellent — slow enough to build suspense, yet fast enough to keep you glued. The dialogue feels natural, and the author’s ability to weave multiple perspectives without confusion adds immense depth to the story. What starts as a tale about secrets gradually becomes a profound reflection on truth, perception, and the masks people wear to survive.

The climax is where Bishhal Paull’s storytelling truly shines — unpredictable yet deeply satisfying. It challenges everything you thought you knew about the characters and leaves you reflecting on how often we, too, lie — to others, and sometimes, to ourselves.

If you enjoy thrillers that are not just about uncovering the culprit but also about understanding human psychology, The Liar Among Us is a must-read. It’s emotional, clever, and thought-provoking — a book that stays with you long after the final page is turned.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bishhal Paull’s “The Liar Among Us” is a gripping psychological thriller book which will keep you hooked till the last page. Set amongst the foggy rainy hills of Sikkim, there lies a prestigious boarding school Valorhouse International which displays its sophisticated and prestigious style outside whereas it lies deep down buried into a heap of secrets. What begins as disappearance of a school boy mysteriously leads to a series of lies, betrayal, fear, deep secrets and deceit.

The story follows around the life in a boarding school and a hidden mystery and ghostly voice sound which creates a panoramic fear into the students. Angad Sandhu who has a rebellious past with his father who feels he is a misfit for anything he does in his life. His scholarship takes him into Valorhouse International where he tries to fit himself into the boarding school. He along with Sree and Aisha try their best to adjust to the boarding life and school. When a student named as Madhab mysteriously disappears from the prestigious boarding school, Angad is keen on digging deep into what happened to Madhab.

When Angad starts the radioclub with his misfit team, one single broadcast changes the life of the students in the school. With the anonymous claim, that Madhab returned back to school the same day he went missing, a series of mysterious events creates panic amongst the students. With fear, guilt, despair to find the lost boy many students start missing. What starts as a search to one leads to many incidents filled with hope, despair, fear and many more. The author has maintained a gripping thrill from the start to last with readers wanting to read the book in one go. The book is a reminder to the quote that “All that glitters is not gold” and brings out the dark secrets of Indian academic schools. A very nice psychological thriller the read will stay in your mind for a long time.

[Partha Pratim · Rating 5 out of 5]

📘The Liar Among Us by Bishhal Paull

What begins as a school story set in the misty hills of Sikkim soon unravels into a psychological thriller that keeps you second-guessing every shadow. The Liar Among Us is one of those rare books that blend cozy fantasy vibes, old boarding schools, rain-drenched nights, mysterious lake houses; with the slow-burn tension of a psychological mystery.

At Valorhouse International, truth is a dangerous thing. A boy goes missing. A ghostly confession echoes through the school’s underground radio. And a freshman named Angad Sandhu; curious, ambitious, a little reckless; decides to dig into secrets best left buried. But Valorhouse has a way of swallowing its own history, and as Angad’s investigation deepens, the line between myth and madness begins to blur.

Bishhal Paull’s writing is cinematic; lush, eerie, and atmospheric. The prologue itself grips you by the throat: rain, panic, the taste of fear in the air. Each chapter peels back another layer of deception, each revelation more haunting than the last. The story thrives on its psychological depth; how fear distorts memory, how guilt corrodes truth, and how every lie leaves a shadow behind.

What I especially loved is how the author fuses cozy familiarity; dorm rooms, radio clubs, late-night whispers, with the unsettling unknown. It’s like Dead Poets Society met The Haunting of Hill House.

By the time you reach the final pages, The Liar Among Us leaves you with that rare, delicious chill, the kind that makes you glance at the window twice before sleeping.

🎬 And here’s the exciting part: this darkly gripping tale is soon to be adapted into a major motion series; and honestly, it deserves every frame.

[Rutuja · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book hooked me right from the prologue. The opening line “Truth is never absolute. It wears many faces… but no holy book ever asks what happens once it’s spoken” instantly pulled me in and set the tone so well that I already knew I’d finish this fast. And I did. Two days. The tension keeps you on edge and even had me losing sleep, which says a lot because I get scared ridiculously easily 👀🫣

Angad’s journey was my favourite part. His voice is raw, messy, and painfully honest. When he says “I’m a coward. I say yes when I mean no… I let people love the mask because I’m terrified they’ll hate the boy underneath” it hits harder than expected. And his quiet hopefulness in lines like “hoping Valorhouse will let me prove that I'm more than the sum of my mistakes” made me root for him even more.

The atmosphere of Valorhouse, the secrets, the mystery, and the slow unravelling kept me invested throughout. The setting is eerie in the best way and the philosophical reflections sprinkled in really stood out.

What didn’t click for me were the friendships and the romances, but that’s understandable since the focus is very plot driven. The POV switches from Angad’s first person to third person scenes where he isn’t present were necessary for the story, but sometimes the detailed shift confused me.

Still, the book gives you beautiful lines that linger. One that stayed with me was “Why does the present have to cancel out the past I’ve worked so hard to survive?” And another that summed up the emotional undercurrent was “Love, it seems, doesn't save us. It mirrors our ache… and yet, we go back to it.”

Overall, it’s a gripping and atmospheric read with a compelling central character and a mystery that keeps you hooked even when it scares you a little.

[Devanshi Sanghani · Rating 4 out of 5]

We spend so much of our lives chasing what’s next…we forget to breathe the present.

From the moment I saw the announcement of The Liar Among Us by Bishhal Paul, I knew I had to pick it up. I could sense right away that this book had the makings of a bestseller. After months, I finally read a novel that genuinely moved me to tears. Every character is wrestling with their own inner battles, struggling to fit in and earn acceptance from their families and friends. The character arcs, the plot, the twists everything is executed so well. If I had to recommend one Indian YA novel you shouldn’t miss, it would be this one.

The story follows the disappearance of a student from Valorhouse International, an elite boarding school in Labak that only admits children from influential families. Our two male protagonists, Angad and Sree, join the school on merit-based scholarships. They soon learn about a missing boy named Madhab. Determined both to secure their place in the school and to unravel the truth behind Madhab’s disappearance, they revive the abandoned radio club. But after hosting a confessions night on the show, things begin spiraling out of control.

The story is expansive difficult to capture in a short summary. My only critique is that the author blended mystery and thriller with paranormal elements, which at times felt excessive. While the supernatural touches add intrigue, they don’t contribute much to the main narrative and the story could have stood strong as a pure mystery-thriller.

Apart from that, the book is gripping, unpredictable, dark, sinister, and genuinely chilling. It also shines a light on two important issues: bullying and the need for students to speak up against it, and the caste bias that continues to affect lives even today.

[kriti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay so this book? Genuinely had me hooked from page one. Valorhouse International is supposed to be this elite boarding school in the misty hills of Sikkim, but honestly it feels more like a haunted museum pretending to be academic. Every corridor feels like it’s hiding something. And the worst part? It kind of is.

Everything kicks off when a boy goes missing. Not “ran away” missing like gone. The school tries to bury the whole thing under assemblies and strict silence, but then one night the underground radio crackles alive with a confession. Someone claims they saw the missing boy come back the night he vanished. And the second that happens? Chaos. People start whispering, overthinking, seeing things that may or may not be there. Valorhouse goes from prestigious to paranoid overnight.

Enter Angad Sandhu. A freshman, a total underdog, but desperate to do something that actually matters. He’s the one who starts the underground radio literally builds it back up from scratch, thinking it’ll make him stand out. And it does… just not in the way he expected.

Once Angad starts broadcasting, weird things begin. Not dramatic horror-movie stuff the kind of subtle creepy that gets under your skin. Whispers in hallways when he’s alone. Footsteps where there shouldn’t be any. Shadows that feel like they’re watching. And the school? It starts acting like a living, breathing thing. Like it knows Angad is poking around where he shouldn’t.
If you like dark academia that’s eerie without being loud, mysteries that feel like they’re breathing down your neck, and I have to applause the ending
It’s been ages since I read such a great cliffhanger
5/5

[Artistic Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author Bishhal Paull's creative introduction in The Liar Among Us uses both psychological suspense and folklore to provide an engaging experience through an entertaining transition between genres. The author has set the stage at a boarding school located in Sikkim where the book illustrates how sometimes truth can be more fearsome than lies.
In this psychological thriller, Paull is able to examine, although briefly, the fine line that exists between the realms of the truth and deception via the student Angad, who is studying in the prestigious Valorhouse institution, set within the cloudy mountains of Sikkim, whilst a number of disappearances begin taking place, sometimes subtly, sometimes overtly, into thin air.

The story unfolds in a cinematic style that is full of illustrative description, which has a huge impact on immersing the readers in the story. In addition to this, Paull also builds the sense that is at work with the ominous setting, along with the local legends that serve to make the school a part of the story itself. The themes of guilt, memories, as well as the stories people tell themselves to come to terms with what is really happening, are revealed as Angad delves deeper into the strange happenings.

It is what makes this, the first novel, different that there is such a depth of emotion that is conveyed. In that, as the characters are left to come to terms with what happens when the truth is revealed to them. It is with the use of simple but highly effective language that the author reaches a belief system with the reader.

So, in conclusion, This is a must read for all lovers of Dark Fiction.
I am giving this book a rate of 4/5 stars.

[Shweta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paranoia, Secrets & Supernatural! Here comes a dark academia thriller. Liar Among Us is a classic boarding school mystery which turns into darker, eerier and intensely psychological as you keep turning the pages.

"Truth is never absolute. It wears many faces. Some noble, some monstrous."

Set in Valorhouse International, a highly prestigious school locates in the foggy hills of Sikkim, a tragedy occurs of the disappearance of a boy and this descents into haunting puzzle of paranoia, lies and terrifying supernatural experiences when an anonymous confession echoes through the school’s underground radio claiming to have seen the missing boy after he disappeared.

Seeing the unfolding of these events, Angad Sandhu, a freshman eager to prove himself, senses the opportunity and revives the dormant radio club to discover the truth. Along with his awkward, misfit crew, he starts uncovering the layers of this mystery deep into school’s very foundation, as
Valorhouse, a seemingly ordinary institution but beneath it lies something sinister, something eerie that watches, whispers, and waits.

The storytelling is gripping and author merges psychological suspense with horror and emotions. By the time I reached climax, I had realised this is not just about identifying a liar but also how truth when comes out can be a danger in itself.

Liar Among Us is five star thriller with its fast pace, haunting narrative, a perfect read for the readers who are thrilled reading ghostly secrets.

[Muskan Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Liar Among Us is a very hooking YA thriller that creates a whole new world of secrets and paranoia. The story is very mysterious and holds an interesting psychological depth as well. It talks about the difference between truth and lies that we all speak to others and even ourselves at one point or another.

The book starts when one of the students in a boarding school goes missing, and things start to get weird when, due to a broadcast, a confession is made, which then starts to make everyone nervous and suspicious of each other. When the discovery of the missing person is started by a boy to solve this mystery, he sees that it is something more than just a missing boy. But it is a secret much more dark and maybe even supernatural that is tied to ancient myths and stories. And here the plot takes a turn to give us a big, scary thrill which you will have to find out by reading it.

All the characters are unique and have a sense of relation with sense of strength and shock at the same time. Author tells us about how, sometimes, knowing the truth can be much more damaging than a lie. The book is fast-paced, and the author's experience in filmmaking gives it that additional push for the dramatic effect. Every chapter feels like a film scene waiting to be turned. It has everything in it from suspense, psychology, folktale to scare, thrill, curiosity, guilt, mistakes, tension, and emotions to keep you on the edge of your seat.

An absolute recommendation for anyone who wishes to read something strong, terrifying yet quiet and different.

[Anjali · Rating 4 out of 5]

A haunting and atmospheric beginning, "The Liar Among Us" by Bishhal Paull is a blend of psychological suspense with folklore. Set in a Sikkim boarding school, it explores how truth can be more dangerous than lies.

In The Liar Among Us, Bishhal Paull crafts a gripping psychological thriller that slowly unravels the fragile line between truth and deception. It is about Angad, a student at Valorhouse, a boarding school nestled amidst misty hills of Sikkim. When students start to disappear, first surreptitiously and then right in front of everyone's eyes, Angad gets pulled into a cold-blooded mystery that stands him face-to-face with secrets of the school as much as the lies he tells himself.

Written in cinematic style, full of vivid imagery, the tension builds with a slow burn to keep readers engrossed. Paull cranks up the unease by using the eerie setting and local folklore; this makes the school almost a character unto itself. As Angad digs deeper, the story begins to weave in themes of guilt, memory, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive.

Yet, one defining attribute of this debut is the emotional intensity of its plot. Nor is the plot focused necessarily on "whodunit," but rather how far down the line discovering the truth will impact the lives of the characters within the story. Using simple yet very expressive language, Paull invites the reader into their own belief systems and what those beliefs mean for each respective person.

A must-read for those who love dark academia and psycho-fiction.

[Anushka Pathak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bishhal Paull’s The Liar Among Us is a dark, intoxicating plunge into the depths of human deception a story that grips you by the mind rather than the throat. It’s not just a thriller; it’s a haunting psychological maze where truth and illusion blur until you can’t tell which side you’re on anymore.

Set against the eerie stillness of the mountains, the story unravels through a circle of characters bound by secrets older than their friendships. Each one hides behind carefully crafted masks lies layered upon lies and as those masks start to crack, what spills out isn’t just guilt or fear, but something far more primal.

What truly elevates this book is its soul the way it weaves together themes of social discrimination, caste-based injustice, and the mythical lore of gods and demons that seem to breathe through the land itself. The mountains are not just a setting here; they’re alive, whispering truths the humans are too afraid to face.

Paull’s prose is sharp and visual, almost cinematic, yet deeply emotional. The suspense doesn’t come from cheap twists it builds like a quiet storm, gaining intensity with every revelation. Every confession feels like a betrayal, every truth feels like a wound.

And then comes that ending. A cliffhanger so sudden, so disorienting, it leaves you staring at the last page, asking what just happened? I’m still hanging there, utterly undone.

A psychological thriller with a mythic heart layered, unsettling, and impossible to forget.

[Shalini · Rating 5 out of 5]

👻🏤The Liar Among Us by Bishhal Paull
👻🏤BOOK REVIEW:-
This book is amazing! Simply AMAZING! The writing is so fresh and new. The way the story has been weaved with delicate threads of horror and grief is truly commendable. The mystery is so gripping that I found myself constantly turning pages. It is truly unputdownable! There is a fresh mix of school life drama with the strange, eerie vibes of horror. I mean we all were kinda obsessed with the fact that our school was haunted 🤭😏
👻🏤BOOK DESCRIPTION:-
At Valorhouse International, an elite boarding school shrouded in the mist-drenched hills of Sikkim, secrets don't stay buried. They fester.

A boy goes missing. And when a chilling confession crackles through the school's underground radio-a witness swears they saw the missing boy return the night he vanished-the campus erupts in paranoia. Was it a hoax? A ghost story? Or something far more dangerous?

For Angad Sandhu, a freshman hungry for recognition, this is his chance to resurrect the forgotten radio club and uncover the truth. But as he and a ragtag crew of outcasts peel back the lies, they awaken something dark, hungry and vengeful.

Strange whispers echo in empty halls. Shadows move where they shouldn't. Students start vanishing-first in secret, then in plain sight.

The deeper they dig, the clearer it becomes: Valorhouse doesn't want its secrets found. And if Angad isn't careful, he'll be the next to disappear.

The truth is out there. But will it kill them first?

[Abinaya Annadurai · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Liar Among Us by Bishhal Paull is an engrossing thriller which keeps the readers hooked till the end. The story is set in a Valorhouse International, an elite boarding school cloaked in the mist-drenched hills of Sikkim.

Here, a mysterious incident occurs. One boy gone missed. The twist is one voice on the radio claims he had seen the victim return. Now, Angad Sandhu, a freshman hungry for recognition, tries to resolve this with a group of students. He resurrects the forgotten radio club and uncovers the truth.

The story is full of thrills, which makes it a page-turner. The author's flawless narrative makes everything vivid. I always loved a boarding school story, it feels fresh and good to read about it. It was an added bonus, it is about a mysterious high school where there are more secrets lurking in the corner. Valorhouse International is not your usual school.

The story is intriguing with a fast-paced plot. The writing style is unique and flawless. Such a great dark academia thriller. It turns eerier and sinister. The author's storytelling is excellent and perfect. The author has effortlessly spoken about social discrimination and caste-based injustice in this story.

Such a bone-chilling read which keeps the readers glued to the page. Overall, I loved this book and would strongly recommend it to all.

[Ritika Goyal · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝘈𝘵 𝘝𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭, 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵-𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘪𝘬𝘬𝘪𝘮, 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳.𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴. 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵. 𝘚𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨-𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘨, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴: 𝘝𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥.

"The liar among us" by Bishhal Paull is a psychological thriller set in a boarding school "Valorhouse International" in Sikkim. A school that looks perfect on the outside hides a lot of secrets.

The story follows a New student "Angad" joining the Valorhouse International when strange things began to happen. A student disappeared, school radio club comes back to life and someone spreading lies (or maybe the truth) that no one can ignore.

The author does a great job of creating spooky and mysterious atmosphere. The foggy forests, cold nights and quite corridors make you gripping the sheets as if something dark is around the corner.

One of the things I liked the most was how the story mixes with real teenage life - friendship, competition, fear, expectations, loneliness and most of all, feeling of never being seen.

If you like Dark academia, boarding school setting with a touch of Mystery and supernatural then you should read this one.

[Karan Ahuja · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚 Book Review: The Liar Among Us by Bishhal Paull

⭐ Rating: 4.6/5

Some stories stay with you not because they shout, but because they quietly unsettle you. The Liar Among Us is exactly that kind of book.

Set in an elite boarding school in the misty hills of Sikkim, the novel centres on Angad Sandhu — a freshman desperate to be noticed — and a missing boy whose disappearance cracks open everything the school thought it knew.

What struck me most is the way Bishhal Paull builds suspense through what we don’t see — the whispers in the halls, the unseen shadows, the old folklore colliding with teenage ambition and guilt. It’s not just a thriller; it’s about how truth can be more terrifying than lies.

Angad’s investigation into the school’s hidden radio station, the missing kids, and the pressure to belong… it all felt raw. It made me think about how many of us wear masks just to survive — and how dangerous it is when we forget who we are underneath.

The setting — the piney hills, the quiet dorms, the almost-haunted campus — gives the story a breathing space. There’s tension, yes, but it’s carried in the silence. In that way, the writing made me pause more than once.

⭐ Thrilling. Thought-provoking. Real.
If you love stories where the atmosphere matters as much as the plot, you’ll find yourself turning pages — and maybe even looking over your shoulder.

[JT · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Liar among Us by Bishhal Paull

A boarding school full of secrets, secrets ranging from supernatural entities, forbidden rooms, missing students etc. A group of kids who take upon themselves to stand against the established power pyramid of the school. This tale comprises the unfolding of those secrets.

Angad Sadhu is from a small town. He gets admitted to Valorhouse, a highly renowned school on sports quota. He tries to find himself in the school and create an identity. But little does he know that his efforts would take him deep into the secrets of the school. With him are Sree, his roommate and someone who gets discriminated against constantly. There are other students too who play an important part in this tale.

The story is both plot driven as well as character driven. Each character has been meticulously crafted with a detailed back story and a well developed personality. From seniors of the school to the faculty, each character has its arc portrayed creatively. The fellow students have a troubled past and each tries to cope with it in a different way. From reckless behaviour to mature realizations, the characters display a range of emotions.

The plot of the story encompasses a range of subthemes. From depression to dysfunctional relationship with parents to social issues to classism, several themes have been explored by the author in the story.

Overall, this is a highly recommended book which will keep you hooked with its interesting characters and intriguing plot.