Big Little Truths

Big Little Lies #2

by Liane Moriarty

In her first-ever sequel, Liane Moriarty examines the complexities of modern women’s lives, shining light on shame and family secrets with wit and compassion. Whether you’ve read Big Little Lies or not, this is the perfect novel for longtime fans and new readers alike.

The last time we saw the women of Big Little Lies—Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata, and Bonnie—their children were five years old. If someone wasn’t invited to a child’s birthday party, feelings were hurt. But ten years have passed, and the kids are now in high school, with all of the drama that accompanies teendom (goodbye playdates, hello drugs, sex, and alcohol).

Now, after the principal of the high school receives a severed human finger in the mail, the parents are in an uproar. But Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata, and Bonnie have other things to worry about. Celeste’s mother-in-law, Mary Louise, is behaving oddly—is it old-age forgetfulness and forthrightness, or something more sinister? Madeline is facing perhaps the biggest challenge of her life, Jane is at a dangerous fork in her marriage, Bonnie has realized there’s only so much solace in yoga. And Renata? Renata is living her best life—revenge is sweet.

When a strange man begins lurking around the school asking supposedly innocent questions, this tightly connected group of women must finally face the full repercussions of the big little truths they have and haven’t shared with their kids. Because the stakes are now much higher than not being invited to an ice-skating show—and the ice has never been thinner for any of them.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Audiobook, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary, Australia

454 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 25, 2026

About the author

Liane Moriarty is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Big Little Lies, The Husband’s Secret, and Truly Madly Guilty; the New York Times bestsellers Apples Never Fall, Nine Perfect Strangers, What Alice Forgot, and The Last Anniversary; The Hypnotist’s Love Story; and Three Wishes. She lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and two children.

Reviews

[Laura Lovesreading]

IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR A THIRD BOOK?

In Big Little Truths, it has been a decade since the events of Big Little Lies and the mystery is about to commence again when a severed human finger arrives in the mail at Pirriwee High school. While everyone is in uproar, we are reunited with Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Bonnie and Renata who have bigger things to be worrying about.

Look I’m probably writing this book very biased because Big Little Lies is one of my all-time favourite books. It got me back into reading and really cemented my love for contemporary mystery thrillers.

From the jump I was immediately drawn back into the lives of my core three girlies and I was hooked!

I could happily read about Madeline, Celeste, Jane and the rest of the clan for the remainder of my life and never be bored!

It’s been 10 years and reading about the kids being teenagers felt surreal! They really had their own voices and big personalities, and I loved every minute of it!

If you are looking for a typical thriller please understand you are not going to get this here.
This is a very much character driven novel about mothers, their spouses, children and how they all navigate their lives.

Yes there is a mystery subplot in the story that for one had my GOB SMACKED AND MY FLABBERS GHASTED! I was truly aghast and did not see it coming AT ALL!

Moriarty has a writing skill that flows effortlessly and has you constantly saying ‘ugh just one more chapter’! The chapters were quick, easy to read and she really gave us the perfect blend of humour, trauma, grief and straight up realism!

Moriarty has spoiled me with this sequel, and I am ready for the trilogy!

I hope she writes another book about my favourite residents of Pirriwee.







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⋆｡°✩pre read⋆｡°✩
Its TIMEEEEEEEEEEE!?! 😍🥰😍🥰😍
Big Little Lies is one of my Top 10 fave book of all time!
I just know I’m going to devour this one!
💚🤍🤍💚

[Canadian Jen]

We go from Big Little Lies to Big Little Truths. A decade has passed. The group of women now have kids hitting their teen years. Big kids = bigger problems. And a human finger has been sent to the local hs.

Moriarity delivers characters who are narcissistic and selfish yet do care for their own. Perfection comes at a cost which is layered with a healthy amount of flaws.

We have a stalker creeping the teenage girls, cancer, teenage angst, secrets of course, but truths -both past and present - exposed.

For all their melodrama, one thing is true: these friends support each other during all their ups and downs.
4.5⭐️
HBO better pick this one up!

[Katie]

Rounded up from 4.5!
Just as addictive and unputdownable as its predecessor, Big Little Lies! From the moment I started this book, all I wanted to do was read it.

This is the sequel to BLL and follows the same group of moms 10 years later. Their kids are bigger, and so are all of their issues.

I didn’t reread BLL, and the author’s note at the beginning says this can actually be read as a standalone. Honestly, just Googling who played each of the women was a good refresher! The hardest thing I had to keep straight was whose kids belonged to who! But, despite the hefty cast of characters, I was completely hooked from the first page and so happy to be reunited with these characters.

The story kicks off with a severed human finger that’s been sent in the mail to the principal of the high school! More mystery than thriller!

I think women of all ages will feel quite seen in these pages.

Something about this story screams spicy margarita. It’s never consumed on the page, but it just feels right. Swipe for what I mixed up for this book!

[Rachel Hanes]

Well, it’s official- this book is the reason why I do not like to read series!! I loved the first book, “Big Little Lies”. However, this book was super long, the storyline felt tired and rushed, and dare I say I was bored throughout this whole story?! I honestly couldn’t wait for it to be over, or for something groundbreaking to happen (trust me, it doesn’t).

I’m guessing because “Big Little Lies” was such a hit, especially as the HBO adaptation, that they felt a sequel was necessary to produce more episodes (that’s just my theory). Now, I never watched the series on HBO, and it probably was good. But, the characters in this sequel were just flat to me. Zero. Connection. Whatsoever.

I can’t remember when I read the first book, but I know I gave it five stars. I also could not remember any of it (it’s been quite a while). However, this book can be read as a standalone. Just know, that you might have to create an outline at first (as I did), because most of the teenagers are related to each other- and each woman’s husband has had an affair with, or remarried into the friend group. Okay…

There was also supposed to be a “big” mystery in this story. But guess what? The mystery was pretty lame. In fact, I’m not even sure what I just read. This book was long, boring, and a BIG LITTLE DISAPPOINTMENT.

I see many others have enjoyed this book more than I have, so please read their reviews to see if this is something that might work out for you. This is also a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick for September, 2026.

[Teres [on hiatus]]

Big Little Truths is the follow-up to Liane Moriarty's bestselling novel Big Little Lies, which was adapted into an HBO series starring Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Laura Dern.

While reading the earlier book isn’t a prerequisite, it does help to have a basic familiarity with the events that brought all the players together.

Set 10 years later, the sequel centers on Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata, and Bonnie as they navigate the treacherous waters of raising teenagers while carrying unresolved burdens from their past.

The women are now either approaching middle age or squarely in it and juggling health scares, marital strain, aging parents, and teenage rebellion.

Big Little Truths opens with a severed finger mailed to the school principal that in turn sparks a police investigation.

Those who enjoy fast-paced thrillers won't find one here. This is a slow-burn mystery, with the truth surfacing gradually.

Satirical and witty while balancing dark, tense suspense, Moriarty employs a multi-perspective structure that alternates between domestic struggles, teenage transcripts, police reports, and a parent WhatsApp group.

This sequel will likely resonate most with readers who read and/or watched the original Big Little Lies and want closure for these characters.

[chantalsbookstuff]

I really enjoyed being back with these characters again. It’s been ten years since Big Little Lies, and it was fun seeing where Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata and Bonnie are now, especially with their children all grown into teenagers. There’s still plenty of gossip, friendship drama and family issues, but this time there are some much more serious themes mixed in. I liked how the story slowly built up the mystery, with little clues along the way that made me want to keep reading. The characters are definitely the strongest part for me, and Moriarty does such a good job of making their emotions and everyday struggles feel realistic and relatable.

It did take me a little while to get fully into the story, and I don’t think it was quite as gripping as Big Little Lies. Some parts felt a bit slow and there was a lot going on, but once the story started coming together, I was hooked. I also really liked the humor mixed in with the darker moments, which kept the book from feeling too heavy. The ending was probably my favorite part, as the different pieces finally came together and left me thinking about it afterwards. A really enjoyable sequel and it was lovely catching up with these characters again.

[AGilden]

I'm obviously a minority here, but I'll try to explain why. This is nowhere near as good as Big Little Lies. I loved checking in with the characters we all love: their relationships with their now teenage children, their problems with their parents, their marital issues; it felt like catching up with good friends. and the writing is exactly is sharp, as funny, as bitchy, as snarky as in Big Little Lies. It's almost worth reading it for that alone. But that's where it ended for me. The story is extremely thin on the ground, with almost all of it consisting of daily grind and more daily grind, the types of things we all have running somewhere in our own lives. There's also some 100% unsuspenseful plot running very slowly somewhere underneath most of it, with the villain identifiable from almost the first time she appears on the page. That's why I don't even label it as thriller, suspense, or mystery or whatever other readers do. There's no suspense at all. If it hadn't been written so well and involved characters I wanted to catch up with, I don't think I would have managed to finish it.

[Liz]

Big Little Truths is the sequel to Big Little Lies. But as author Liane Moriarty states in her Author’s Note before the beginning of the book, it works perfectly fine as a stand-alone. Just be aware, if you haven’t read Big Little Lies and think you might want to, you’ll definitely need to read it first as this book gives its ending away.
This book begins ten years later. The children are now teenagers. The mothers are in their forties and fifties. The women are all still friends but the teenagers not so much.
The story begins when the high school principal receives a severed human finger. But the main gist of the story is these women trying to navigate their lives - troubled marriages, health scares, sandwich generation issues. There is also a new history teacher who is charming both parents and students alike. There is gobs of humor but also lots of serious thoughts. In fact, kudos to Moriarty for getting the blend exactly right. And that often, the humor is because the reader will recognize the spot on truth of the scene especially as parents and teens interact. All of us who have lived through those years will totally relate.
The story moves at a brisk pace with short punchy chapters interspersed with a counseling session for the teenagers, announcements from the school head and the detective’s investigation. I flew through the book and finished all fifteen audio hours in two days. I’ll admit I didn’t see the big twist coming at all.
I listened to this. I’m sorry I also didn’t have the book. A story with this many characters and shifting timelines can sometimes be difficult for me when I’m only listening. But I thought Caroline Lee did a great job as the narrator.

[Stephanie]

Liane Moriarty mentions you can read this as a standalone to her hit book and amazing HBO series, I beg to differ. While i never read the book, I loved the screen adaptation, and couldn't help but see the actors play the characters in this follow up book. I think it helps to have some background as to how these group of women come together.

While there is a mystery to this book, I found this book childish, badly written, and not "mysterious" at all. Yes, there's a weird guy in a green Volvo following kids around, there's a seductive teacher and husband, but the majority of this book is about friendships and marriages. Quite frankly, it could have been 100 pages shorter, and god forbid, add some depth already!

I found the final conclusion to the long overwrought mystery to be underwhelming. This follow up is truly about women who are aging, learning more about themselves, and their kids who have dealt with the unfathomable.

This is my second Moriarty book, and maybe my last? We will see!

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread)]

The biggest book of the year is here and it did not disappoint! I was so lucky to be invited to the private launch for this fabulous book in Sydney last week and hear Liane Moriarty talk about it which was such a special experience. Excitingly we also received an early copy of Big Little Truths which I spent my weekend lost in.

It has been 10 years since we were last in Pirriwee Peninsula and the kids are now teenagers. Madeleine, Jane, Celeste, Bonnie, Renata are dealing with high school dramas and the ailments of getting older. They are still tight friends who will do anything for each other and I just loved the strong friendships. The kids are no longer as close as they once were, but a new history teacher has them all excited to learn about the past.

This is another chunky novel and yet I flew through it. It was all so familiar, coming back to such well loved characters again. It was highly relatable as a mother who has been through those high school years, it is hard work for the parents as well. Dealing with parents that are getting older, illnesses and mental health, it is all so easy to feel seen reading this.

We get to hear what the children are thinking through their counselling session , that builds up the intensity of the story. We know something bad has happened, but we don’t know what until the last 100 pages or so. I was hooked and just needed to know.

Thank you Liane for bringing us back to Pirriwee and into the fold of these ladies once more.

And thank you to Macmillan Australia for allowing me to read this before Tuesdays publication day.

[Melissa (Always Behind)]

Although this is a sequel to Big Little Lies, it works as a standalone or if it's been a while since you read it or watched the series. The characters are the same as in that first book, but it's quite a few years down the road. The kids are all in high school and their parents are now in their 50s. However, if you haven't read/watched it and you want to do so, this sequel does spoil the twists, so just be warned.

I listened to this as an audiobook, and Caroline Lee, who has narrated all of Liane Moriarty's books, is the narrator again. I love the way she embodies the characters and give them their unique personalities. It almost makes me forget that the TV series moved everyone to America played by American actors, and we're now back in Australia where they belong.

There are once again some deeper themes here and some disturbing truths that come out over the course of the novel. Trauma and its consequences, grooming and sexual assault, aging parents, dealing with cancer, marital strife, teen angst--it's all here. Although this is a fairly lengthy book, it's fast paced and the number of characters and their varying dilemmas make the book move along and not get bogged down on any one story. The jumpy timeline and situations are slightly difficult to follow at first, but once I figured out what was occurring when I got into the flow and could follow the narrative.

[Mimi]

12 years! Twelve years later and we get this?!? Liane Moriarty's first ever sequel and hopefully her last. Sorry to say this was painfully boring and never seemed to go anywhere.

[Tina]

I haven’t read Big Little Lies, so I’m guessing I didn’t get quite the same hit of nostalgia from returning to these characters that other readers will. But even without that connection, I enjoyed many elements of this story.

What I loved most was the dark humour mixed in with some pretty heavy subjects. Abuse, ageing parents, health worries, perimenopause, hot flushes, teenage drama and long term marriages being seriously tested… there’s A LOT going on, but Moriarty somehow makes it funny, warm and painfully relatable all at the same time.

And then, because life clearly isn’t chaotic enough, a severed human finger is delivered to the school principal. A creepy stranger starts hanging around, the teenagers begin digging into things they really shouldn’t, and suddenly the lies told a decade ago to protect their families are threatening to come back and bite them.

It’s messy, funny, dark and surprisingly heartwarming, with that underlying reminder that secrets have a nasty habit of resurfacing.

My only gripe? It is painfully SLOW. Especially the first half! Knock 150 odd pages off and this could have been a top read for me. I enjoyed the characters and all the midlife chaos, but there were definitely moments where I just wanted it to hurry the hell up. 😂

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Cynth]

No notes. If you loved Big Little Lies (the book), you will love this. It felt so heartwarming to be back in Pirriwee with the characters I loved from the first book. It’s a mystery, don’t go into it expecting a thriller. I would absolutely recommend

[Bkwmlee]

In her first ever sequel Big Little Truths , Liane Moriarity takes us back to the world of one of her most popular books, Big Little Lies , where we are reunited with Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Bonnie, and Renata on the Pirriwee Peninsula in Australia. It is 10 years later and the precocious kindergarteners from the first book are now teenagers in high school. Dealing with all the drama that comes with the territory of parenting teenagers is already fraught and difficult, but add to that a parent having to manage a health crisis, a mother-in-law who may or may not have dementia, an illicit vaping business at school, a marriage at a crossroads, a strange man approaching young girls asking weird questions, and unsurprisingly, parents and kids alike having to deal with the fallout of the incident from the first book. Oh and let’s not forget the inciting incident that opens the sequel – the principal at the high school that all the kids attend receives a severed human finger in the mail, which triggers an investigation by the same bumbling police detective from the first book. All of this allows Moriarty to employ a similar format as the first book – a narrative with short chapters told from the alternating perspectives of the main characters that is interspersed with updates on the investigation from the detective, school announcements from the principal, WhatsApp chat excerpts from the parent groups, and excerpts from interview sessions, though this time around, instead of parents giving their testimony in a police interrogation, it is the children talking to a counselor (about a situation that will be revealed at the end of the story).

As she did with its predecessor, Moriarty does a great job here juxtaposing the silly human foibles (i.e. feeling indignant about getting upstaged at one’s birthday party) with the serious life and death issues (i.e. dealing with a family member’s cancer diagnosis), creating a delicate blend of heart and humor that makes this book a simultaneously delightful and reflective read. Again, Moriarty covers a lot of ground in terms of social issues and themes, yet she is such a compelling storyteller that the story flows seamlessly and effortlessly – despite its length, this book never feels overwhelming or tedious to read. Case in point – I finished this book (listening to the audio and reading the physical book in tandem) in 2 days because I just had to know what was going to happen.

With all that said, I have to admit that I enjoyed the first book a tad more than the sequel (I had actually rated Big Little Lies 4.5 stars whereas I rated the sequel 4 stars) – I can’t pinpoint exactly why, but I’m thinking perhaps the drama and politics in that story were lower stakes, so Moriarty could ratchet up the “ridiculous” factor (i.e.: the outlandish actions and reactions of the parents, especially Madeline) a bit more and therefore make the story overall much funnier (and I felt like I could laugh without restraint). Also, the “twist” in the first book, while serious, kind of kept the kids out of it for the most part. By comparisons, some of the themes in the sequel were a lot more serious (definitely went beyond the “typical petty schoolyard drama” from the first book), plus the “twist” here directly involved the kids – I guess for me, the overall higher stakes of the “drama” kind of made it uncomfortable to laugh as freely as I did at some of the events that occurred in this book versus the first one. Still, this is brilliantly written and especially good on audio as narrated by Caroline Lee, who was the narrator for the first book as well. The audio narration was excellent as expected, though my one (minor) complaint would be the segments with the counseling session excerpts – unlike with the audio for the first book, the narrator didn’t identify each person speaking this time around and since all the voices sounded the same, I couldn’t tell who was saying what. Luckily, I had also bought a print copy of the book, so for those sections, I decided to read the conversations in tandem while listening – not a dealbreaker of course, but it did slow things down a little.

Needless to say, if you read and enjoyed Big Little Lies , this sequel is a must-read. If you haven’t read the first book, well, you actually shouldn’t read this one because despite everyone swearing up and down that this sequel can be read as a standalone, that is actually not true, as the sequel not only gives away the ending to the first book, it also refers back to things that happened in that story and some of the aftermath as well as impact on the characters that likely will not make sense without the context from the first book. And no, having watched the HBO series adaptation doesn’t really count because they changed a lot of things in that series, including the ending (besides, as Moriarty makes clear in her Author’s Note, this sequel is to the actual book, not the series).

[Jules]

I only recently read Big Little Lies (though had seen the TV series) and really enjoyed it, and Big Little Truths is an excellent sequel.

Set 10 years after the first book, the friendship between Celeste, Madeline and Jane continues, and into the friendship group comes Renata, Bonnie and new history teacher, Melody Montclair. The dynamics between the women is excellent - they're supportive and fun, but have no qualms about telling each other what they really think, especially Madeline (I think she's my favourite)!

Alongside all the drama going on in each of the women's lives, as with Big Little Lies, Big Little Truths also deals with a very serious issue which is eventually brought to light by all of the women's (now teenage) children. We hear snippets from the teenagers throughout the book, aswell as an act which is being investigated by the police. The tension of this underlying story was built so well that I couldn't get through the final 100 pages quick enough - I was so eager to see what was going on!

I'm not a big reader of crime and thriller novels but I am genuinely now a Liane Moriarty fan! The way she has woven these women's lives together is so beautifully done, and the serious nature of what goes on in both books I feel is dealt with sensitively.

Although Liane Moriarty states herself that Big Little Truths can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading Big Little Lies first if you haven't done so - they're both brilliant!

[Virna Sologaistoa]

I’m likely in the minority here but this was such a disappointment. I loved Big Little Lies (the book) and was really looking forward to this sequel.

It was nice to be back with the characters we met over 10 years ago and I enjoyed the format being similar to the first book with the texts, interviews and the like to end each chapter. But none of the characters we revisited felt like the ones from the first book. Obviously people change and grow but I genuinely didn’t recognise any of the strong, funny, layered women from before.

Adding to that, the book was far too long and could’ve gotten to the point and twist much faster than it did. The twist and that whole plot line were just an excuse to be able to have some sort of drama. In the first book the drama felt much more plausible and was really effective. Here it was outlandish. I think the main characters got annoying because of how slow and meandering the book was. Instead of getting to like them again, you get to get annoyed by them instead. There’s only so much internal conflict you can read about while there’s some sort of semblance of drama building in the background.

Anyway, rant over. I could actually go on about this for ages but I don’t want to rain too much on other people’s parade. I think a lot of people will enjoy this but sadly, this one wasn’t for me.

[Nikki Lee (Nikkileethrillseeker)]

This is the sequel to Big Little Lies years later.

The women at the forefront, Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata, and Bonnie. Their children are teenagers now and getting into trouble the way teenagers do. I was much worse btw 😆.

A finger has been sent to the kid’s school with a threatening message. Everyone’s in an uproar. However, the women have way more serious problems to worry about.

The story is deeply rooted in friendships and family no matter how dysfunctional they are. Serious topics are throughout the novel that happen in every day life. Many will relate. After watching the series, I felt connected to these women and visualized everyone as seen on the screen. I honestly think it helps.

I listened to the audio since this sucker is thick. The narration was spectacular. I really enjoyed it and both of them did a fantastic job with emotions in their tone.

This is definitely a contemporary fiction/ literary fiction with a mystery blended in. Not a thriller. Regardless, I can’t wait for season 3 on HBO and hoping for a 3rd book.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Huge thanks to Crown Publishing for the gifted novel and swag and PRH for the audio.

[Jonetta]

the setup…
It’s been ten years since we last were in Pirriwee Peninsula, north of Sydney. Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata, and Bonnie have formed an odd friendship after the events of Trivia Night when life changed for all of them. Their children are now in high school and in addition to the typical teenage drama they're dealing with, all of the women are facing new life challenges. When the school principal receives an unorthodox package with a threat implicating a popular history teacher, the community is up in arms, especially since a few of the teens have encountered a strange man lurking around their school and other haunts.

the heart of the story…
Five minutes in and memories of the world I came to love in Big Little Lies came flooding back! It was like I never left. The women were strangely the same with Madeline still the de facto leader but also remarkable changed because of the events ten years ago. They’re all facing new challenges, some very serious. I loved the new dynamics between the women, bonded but still a little snarky at times.

the narration…
Caroline Lee delivers an outstanding performance in providing nuanced distinctions for each woman and the same stellar storytelling style from the first book. I felt I’d come home again. Ella Le Fournour voiced the teens and she nailed them.

the bottom line…
Even though there’s a lot of drama and characters to manage, it is so well crafted it all melded together rather seamlessly. You don’t have to have read the first book but you’ll miss the richness of the shared experiences of these women that permanently reshaped them. I watched the TV series when it was first released and while the actors replaced the images in my head, my memory was of the book. Loved everything! 4.5 stars

Posted on Blue Mood Café

[Heidi Zuva]

The character development was so well done. I loved how the story focused on creating rich worlds for the characters and exploring their complex relationships over shoehorning in as many twists as possible. This is the kind of thriller that's sucking me in at the moment.

[Cindy]

4+ ⭐️
I loved returning to Celeste, Madeline, Jane, Bonnie, and Renata—and discovering that, ten years later, there are still plenty of buried truths waiting to come to the surface.

This sequel to Big Little Lies was a unique experience for me since I hadn’t read the first book, although I watched the HBO series, and was one of my all-time favorite shows. Thankfully, Moriarty gives us a recap in the author’s note and describes some of the differences between book and show. She says this book works as a standalone. I feel it would be a more gratifying experience to know who’s who though. We’re back in the same community outside Sydney, where the kids are now teenagers dealing with their own troubles, secrets, and drama. Their dialogue can feel a little YA at times, but it worked well enough and there were plenty of funny moments.

The central mystery begins with a severed finger being sent to the school principal, setting off what the story calls “D-Day.” The narrative alternates between Madeline, Celeste, and Jane as they navigate their personal dramas unfolding around them—including an upcoming wedding that has an ominous feeling. There’s also a troubling story involving a possible predator around the school and the fallout from long-buried events that continue to affect both the women and their children. One of the teachers, Melody, is new to the group and has a flirtatious and seductive vibe.

I enjoyed watching these characters deal with real-life problems a decade later: menopause, health scares, parenting teenagers, changing relationships, and the lasting effects of what happened in the first story. Moriarty does a great job at making even the everyday struggles feel dramatic, authentic, complicated, and sometimes hilariously relatable.

Moriarty certainly takes her time, spending long stretches in each woman’s story, and I did think a little editing could have tightened things up. But even with the slower pace, this was a wonderfully dramatic, witty, and entertaining return to a group of women I was happy to spend time with again. I thought the conclusion was done really well.

—Since I’m on a beach vacation, I listened to the audiobook narrated by Caroline Lee, Ella Le Fournour, and Liane Moriarty. I found Lee’s voice to be unpleasant and screeching. I really had to work hard at focusing on the storytelling, and not her voice.

[Emma Skapetis]

This was so good. It had a similar formula to the first book I still really enjoyed it. It was effortless to get back into the world and read about these characters even though it has been 7 years since I read Big little lies.
RTC.

[Kelly (and the Book Boar)]

With the exception of the 842 Stephanie Plum stories that I can’t seem to stop myself from reading – I generally steer clear of sequels or series. However, when I caught wind of Big Little Truths like six months ago I immediately put in a hold at the library because Madeline Martha Mackenzie is my BFF and I could not WAIT to reconnect with her and all of the other moms of the Pirriwee Peninsula.

So it’s 10 years after the . . . ahem events of the school fundraiser and Madeline, Jane and Celeste are still thick as thieves. Surprisingly, Bonnie and Renata have also joined their ranks. The littles are all teenagers now and, like every other family in the world, each respective household is going through some stuff. Oh, and also a severed human finger has been delivered to the school principal . . . .

Oh calamity!

And that’s all you get. If you liked Big Little Lies you’ll probably love Big Little Truths. And if you haven’t yet read the original, but like chick lit or porch/deck sitting while being completely absorbed into a story you’ll most likely enjoy it too. The author’s note informs the reader that although this is a sequel it can be read as a stand-alone. And while that may be true, why would you NOT want to spend as much time with these families as possible????

Every Star.

[Katie B]

Thank you Crown for sending me a free copy!

4.5 stars

I’ll admit I was surprised when I heard BIG LITTLE LIES was getting a sequel. It’s one of my favorite books by the author but I was unsure how she would continue on with the cast of characters and come up with a decent storyline. But lo and behold she did it and BIG LITTLE TRUTHS is a terrific follow up read.

Can it be read as a standalone novel? Yes and no. The story holds up well on its own but with so many characters it’d be hard to remember each one if you haven’t read the first book or seen the HBO tv series. Even I struggled for awhile to keep track of all the daughters.

I don’t want to give away much about the plot but the action picks up about decade after the events of BIG LITTLE LIES. The kids are now teenagers and a rather unusual package is delivered to their school.

There’s a fun vibe to the writing but she also sneaks in some serious subjects. Her best book in recent years in my opinion. Without a doubt, pick this one up if you have enjoyed any of her novels.

[Tania]

4.5 stars. Definitely my favourite easy read of 2026 so far. It was so much fun catching up with all of these characters, and being the same age as them, I could really relate to the menopause, marriage and teenage issues. There were also quite a few genuine laugh-out-loud moments.

As with Big Little Lies, Liane Moriarty does a brilliant job of mixing very real issues with plenty of humour and a fast-paced story. I really struggled to close this one and go to bed at night — which is always a pretty good sign!

I honestly didn't want it to end. If Moriarty could just make this an annual series so I can check in with these characters once a year, that would be perfect.

[Maggie O'Sullivan]

How?! How in the absolute heck is this book rated so high so soon?!

I don't think I have ever been so disappointed in a sequel.

Spoiler alert!

What was the storyline here? I have no idea. Madeline thinks she has cancer, but then she doesn't but then her husband does.

Bonnie loses her crap over having killed Perry 10 years ago and suddenly gets drunk a few times and tries to drown herself in front of everyone.

Celestes MIL is losing her mind? It had No place in the story. Celeste kinda likes a random stranger who appears to be stalking all the high schoolers?


Jane....oh Jane. Jane who lands dreamboat Tom, the coffee shop owner. The man every woman wants. She doesn't want to have a child with him because she had an episiotomy without the doctor asking her with Ziggy....saddest story I've ever heard as probably 75% of women can relate with that but we kept having kids anyway??

But worse than that she almost kisses the kids FEMALE high school teacher in a "moment" they shared. Then When she tells Tom it's like he's ok with it and says maybe you need a break from me? But I still love you and will take care of your freaking son while you deal with your issues?

And then BAM! All of a sudden all the high school girls were being sex trafficked by their teacher for her husband. Like no building up to this whatsoever, just threw it in there.

I hated this book and I never say that.

[Rogue]

So I was excited about this one because I loved the first book so much that I’ve read it twice. But unfortunately this one was a bit of a let down. It was the same women’s friend group but older. So now they are dealing with menopause, old age, teenagers, cancer, aging parents, loss of parents, all the blah stuff we deal with in our 40’s. There was a bit of a mystery to it like the first one had but here it fell short for me. The story opens with a severed finger being delivered to their kids school! You’d think that would be a gripping story. But every time the story got back to that part I had forgotten it even happened! It just didn’t work a second time around for me. But if you loved these ladies and wondered what happened to them after the last book than you’ll love this.

[Lily Steeper]

Big Little Truths is an awaited sequel where Liana Moriarty takes us back to an affluent coastal Australian town filled with drama. Ten years have passed since we saw the mothers of Big Little Lies—Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata, and Bonnie- who navigated the disproportionate theatrics of their kindergarten children. Now with these kids in highschool, a new incident begins when the school receives a severed human finger in the mail.
The moms have for the most part moved on from that fateful night ten years ago when Celeste's husband Perry died. Celeste has been raising her twin sons as a single mother, Jane has happily married, Renata is enjoying the single life, and Bonnie is trying to stay connected with her teenage daughter. But the kids are now learning their parents secrets, forming some of their own. A new history teacher and her husband arrive in town, suddenly integrating themselves into the tight-knit friend group.
Even in an affluent town, things are far from perfect. Madeline, freshly turned fifty, must navigate her husband's cancer diagnosis. Celeste must handle her mother-in-law's growingly eccentric behavior, Jane must navigate if she is willing to go through motherhood again, and Bonnie still struggles with what she did to Perry. Even worse, a strange man has been found lurking around the school. Things are shaken up, and the mothers must confront this new stage of parenting.
I absolutely adored Big Little Lies, and this was no different. I love how the characters are truly brought to life. It was so nice to get an update on this beloved friend group, each so distinct. Even their children started to emerge distinctly. Liane Moriarty always navigates large casts so well, somehow incorporating depth without building confusion. Though the novel prefaces that this could operate as a stand-alone, I believe reading it after Big Little Lies is mandatory. Having a background appreciation for the town and setting made me enjoy this one all the more. Again, I was oddly hooked by the lives of these mothers. Coming back to the main trio- Celeste, Jane, and Madeline- was such a breath of fresh air.
Under the facade of parent drama is a depth that covers pretty heavy topics. Moriarty is truly a master of blending humor with realistic events, not shying from some harsher topics. The chapters are quick, propelling the story. More so, it is structured with brief transcripts set in the present, before traveling back to what instigated everything eight or so months before. I treasured this sequel and will always reach for it immediately if we get a third.

[Stephanie]

The perfect book for this time in my life. My beloved characters from book one, but this time they have teenagers/young adults and they’re dealing with perimenopause and all of the complicated emotions that come with it. Zero notes. Absolute perfection.

[Corina]

The first time I read Big Little Lies, I laughed so much in the car. It was such an entertaining read, and the fact that I still remember how much I laughed says a lot. Not many books genuinely make me laugh out loud, so that has always stuck with me. I listened to it again before the TV adaptation came out, and all these years later, it was just as enjoyable.

So when the sequel came along, I was excited to return to these characters, although I did wonder whether Big Little Lies really needed a sequel. Probably not. But I’m very happy it exists, because I ended up enjoying this one quite a lot, too.

One thing Liane Moriarty does incredibly well is make sure that the shit hits the fan for pretty much everyone. Every member of the core cast has some kind of drama, revelation, or major life change going on, and somehow there is always something happening. That makes these books incredibly easy to get lost in.

There’s a great mix of heavier subject matter, complicated relationships, new beginnings, humor, and some really wonderful female friendships. Moriarty manages to move between all of these different threads without the story ever feeling dull. There is always another character to check in on, another situation unfolding, or another little piece of the puzzle waiting to be revealed.

The central mystery wasn’t particularly shocking to me, but the way everything eventually comes together was much more impactful. Some of the subject matter was genuinely difficult to listen to, and the contrast with the lighter, funnier moments worked surprisingly well.

The audiobook narration was once again excellent, and there were plenty of moments that had me laughing out loud. That’s probably the biggest compliment I can give it: despite some very heavy themes, this book was genuinely fun to listen to.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable sequel that captured much of what made the first book so memorable for me. It didn’t quite reach the five-star level of Big Little Lies, but it came pretty close.
And now I’m very curious to see what HBO does with it. I can’t wait for the adaptation!

4.5 stars
Thank you to the library for providing me with this audiobook. Free books are still one of the best things in life. ❤️