What do you think?
Rich Little Liars
A BRAND-NEW, relentlessly pacy psychological thriller with twists you won’t see coming, for fans of Michelle Frances, Gemma Rogers and Lisa Jewell.👀💔⚡ Everyone has something to hide…
After surviving a house fire that killed her husband, Kelly Reynolds vanishes into the East Hamptons, a world of gated estates, pristine lawns and neighbours who smile like they have nothing to fear. Here, money buys discretion, and the past is supposed to stay buried.
But when anonymous notes begin appearing at her door, Kelly realises someone knows what really happened the night of the fire. With each message, the East Hamptons’ flawless façade starts to crack, and the quiet judgement in her neighbours’ eyes feels less imagined.
As suspicion tightens and danger creeps closer, Kelly’s carefully rebuilt life begins to unravel. Because some secrets don’t stay hidden – and the truth is far more dangerous than the lies that protect it.
Rich Little Liars is a gripping, edge-of-your-seat read that twists and turns its way to a shocking conclusion.
Praise for AJ
'From the beginning to the end, this book continued to astounded me. So many twists and turns I could hardly breathe.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
'Just when you think you know where it's going, AJ Carter pulls the rug out from under you. Brilliant!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
'Deliously twisted. I devoured it in one sitting!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
'A true page-turning Psychological Thriller with enough twists to make your head spin!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
After surviving a house fire that killed her husband, Kelly Reynolds vanishes into the East Hamptons, a world of gated estates, pristine lawns and neighbours who smile like they have nothing to fear. Here, money buys discretion, and the past is supposed to stay buried.
But when anonymous notes begin appearing at her door, Kelly realises someone knows what really happened the night of the fire. With each message, the East Hamptons’ flawless façade starts to crack, and the quiet judgement in her neighbours’ eyes feels less imagined.
As suspicion tightens and danger creeps closer, Kelly’s carefully rebuilt life begins to unravel. Because some secrets don’t stay hidden – and the truth is far more dangerous than the lies that protect it.
Rich Little Liars is a gripping, edge-of-your-seat read that twists and turns its way to a shocking conclusion.
Praise for AJ
'From the beginning to the end, this book continued to astounded me. So many twists and turns I could hardly breathe.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
'Just when you think you know where it's going, AJ Carter pulls the rug out from under you. Brilliant!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
'Deliously twisted. I devoured it in one sitting!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
'A true page-turning Psychological Thriller with enough twists to make your head spin!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
272 pages, Paperback
Published June 5, 2026
About the author
A.J. Carter
29 books342 followersAJ Carter is a psychological thriller author from Bristol, England. His first book, The Family Secret, is praised by critics around the world, and he continues to regularly deliver suspenseful novels you can’t put down.
Sign up to his mailing list today and be the first to hear about upcoming releases and hot new deals for existing books. You’ll also receive a FREE digital copy of The Couple Downstairs – an unputdownable domestic thriller you won’t find anywhere else in the world: https://BookHip.com/WAXFLLP
Sign up to his mailing list today and be the first to hear about upcoming releases and hot new deals for existing books. You’ll also receive a FREE digital copy of The Couple Downstairs – an unputdownable domestic thriller you won’t find anywhere else in the world: https://BookHip.com/WAXFLLP
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 276 reviews
May 17, 2026
RATING: 2 STARS ⭐️⭐️
Vibe check: Repetitive Twists, Underwhelming Thrills
full review ⬇️
The cover looked good, the tagline had me intrigued and the start was promising.
But then I read further and this was honestly one of the most infuriatingly repetitive books I’ve read.
It started off very much giving me Freida McFadden vibes and I was intrigued and keen to see where this story was going. But unfortunately, it just never really went anywhere new.
The repetition was constant! Everyone is always familiar in the kitchen, every neighbour is looking at a house funny and the same observations and suspicions just keep looping over and over again.
I also really struggled with the characters. They felt flat and frustrating and I never found myself invested in any of them. The main character perspective in particular felt like she spent far too much time watching and assuming rather than actually progressing the story. At one point I genuinely found myself thinking… does she just live at her window all day? 😅
I picked the twist early, I wasn’t surprised by any of the plot lines and while it initially felt like a story that was building towards tension, instead it just kept circling the same ideas over and over.
I appreciate the sneak peek of this early read thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley but sadly this wasn’t a win for me.
Vibe check: Repetitive Twists, Underwhelming Thrills
full review ⬇️
The cover looked good, the tagline had me intrigued and the start was promising.
But then I read further and this was honestly one of the most infuriatingly repetitive books I’ve read.
It started off very much giving me Freida McFadden vibes and I was intrigued and keen to see where this story was going. But unfortunately, it just never really went anywhere new.
The repetition was constant! Everyone is always familiar in the kitchen, every neighbour is looking at a house funny and the same observations and suspicions just keep looping over and over again.
I also really struggled with the characters. They felt flat and frustrating and I never found myself invested in any of them. The main character perspective in particular felt like she spent far too much time watching and assuming rather than actually progressing the story. At one point I genuinely found myself thinking… does she just live at her window all day? 😅
I picked the twist early, I wasn’t surprised by any of the plot lines and while it initially felt like a story that was building towards tension, instead it just kept circling the same ideas over and over.
I appreciate the sneak peek of this early read thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley but sadly this wasn’t a win for me.
July 23, 2026
So bad I don't want to take time to review it
July 4, 2026
This one started out strong. However, it dragged on and I quickly lost interest. The characters were not well developed. It was a bit repetitive and the dual timeline just did not work for me.
June 22, 2026
Wow! Mind blowing ending! Best plot twist I’ve ever read! This author is definitely a fav! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 28, 2026
Way harsh review- if you’re the author, ignore this one!
Took 90 minutes to read and in that short time I still genuinely had to wonder see if I missed entire chapters with the combination of massive gaps and character development. Left wondering just what the heck I read, and also bemoaning the 90 minutes spent on the - She’s at the window, she’s banned from the hospital, now she’s not banned from the hospital, everyone hates her, now they’re scared of her, now they’re staring again…
Why do women narrators written by men in thrillers always seem to fluctuate only between two modes: paralyzing anxiety with a lack of will and agency I’ve only seen from a woman in a coma, OR totally and completely psychopathic? No depth whatsoever, and actions lack any believability. She was getting a threatening letter at her front door in broad daylight and never looked at her window to see who walked up her giant driveway to deliver it, meanwhile seems to spend her whole life in front of the windows?
Spoiler-
Biggest hole was the detective being the “stalker”. He didn’t talk to his brother for 15 years, became a detective in the town she happens to move to, and is so enraged by his brother’s death that he launches a pervasive fear-based mission to “show her how he felt”? What? When would that make sense, ever??
Also, are we supposed to assume she didn’t answer anyone’s texts, make efforts with the women of the community, and perceived everyone as antagonistic through the lens of a “victim” because that’s what she thought Kelly would be doing? How does that make sense? Didn’t she move to that town for “discretion”? But she’s an accomplished conman? So why was she so afraid, not sleeping, etc? Why go after the doctor, when she had a billion dollars now to her name? Did Roxanne feel real guilt? Not written in a “wow, amazing twist!” way, just written in a way that makes no sense at all.
Took 90 minutes to read and in that short time I still genuinely had to wonder see if I missed entire chapters with the combination of massive gaps and character development. Left wondering just what the heck I read, and also bemoaning the 90 minutes spent on the - She’s at the window, she’s banned from the hospital, now she’s not banned from the hospital, everyone hates her, now they’re scared of her, now they’re staring again…
Why do women narrators written by men in thrillers always seem to fluctuate only between two modes: paralyzing anxiety with a lack of will and agency I’ve only seen from a woman in a coma, OR totally and completely psychopathic? No depth whatsoever, and actions lack any believability. She was getting a threatening letter at her front door in broad daylight and never looked at her window to see who walked up her giant driveway to deliver it, meanwhile seems to spend her whole life in front of the windows?
Spoiler-
Biggest hole was the detective being the “stalker”. He didn’t talk to his brother for 15 years, became a detective in the town she happens to move to, and is so enraged by his brother’s death that he launches a pervasive fear-based mission to “show her how he felt”? What? When would that make sense, ever??
Also, are we supposed to assume she didn’t answer anyone’s texts, make efforts with the women of the community, and perceived everyone as antagonistic through the lens of a “victim” because that’s what she thought Kelly would be doing? How does that make sense? Didn’t she move to that town for “discretion”? But she’s an accomplished conman? So why was she so afraid, not sleeping, etc? Why go after the doctor, when she had a billion dollars now to her name? Did Roxanne feel real guilt? Not written in a “wow, amazing twist!” way, just written in a way that makes no sense at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2026
Wow didnt see that ending coming.
August 2, 2026
Actually didnt like it at first but then it became so addicting. Must be getting smarter because I guessed a portion of the ending 🤓👆👆
June 5, 2026
Rich Little Liars by AJ Carter, when the book begins we meet Kayla who is moving in to Southampton a very wealthy neighborhood in England then we go back and meet Kelly and her husband Daniel who’ve been married a few years and love each other but she feels as if they’re straying apart. Than one day a lady knocks on her door looking disheveled hungry so Kelly invites her in for tea and to just make her feel better when it’s all said and done Roxanne has made herself a staple in their household even taking on increasing roles from let me help you make the table to I took some chicken out I thought I would cook Daniel a nice dinner etc soon these two povs will come together in the resolution is laid out and I must say I at first was very entertained by the story but then the lady in the big house really got on my nerves all she did was worry about what the neighbors were doing what were they looking at what they had on what they thought of her and that really was too much then every day her opinion would change one little thing would make her feel like oh now I’m a part of the neighborhood and then the next day she’s like what do normal people do after buying a lavish home? it didn’t take much for her to go from confident and secure to questioning everyone’s motives. Soon however she does have something to question because someone is leaving notes at her door and even leaves her old wedding ring so she is fearful but it all comes to ahead when she finally meet someone who likes her as much as she likes him. his name is Doctor Richard and he couldn’t be sweeter but then he gets attacked in her home. Who is out to get Kayla and why? detective Harvey was supposed to be investigating but it seems he already has a suspect and that’s Kayla herself and he really believes she did it until he doesn’t. As I said this book was entertaining but once it got to I believe her name was Kayla they don’t say her name a lot so I don’t remember what it was but it’s the rich lady in the big house and she was so annoying.I wouldn’t deter anyone from reading it but it’s not a book I would bring up with someone that asked me to recommend a good thriller. I would still read another book by him because there are lots of great riding and this is my first book by him so I just hope her other books aren’t the same. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,
June 8, 2026
Y’all, Rich, Little Liars is a solid read that serves up money, secrets, and enough shady behavior to make a reality TV reunion look tame. 🍾👀
After a house fire kills her husband, Kelly Reynolds disappears into the East Hamptons, where the lawns are perfect, the smiles are polished, and everybody seems to be hiding something. When anonymous notes start showing up, Kelly’s carefully rebuilt life begins to crack faster than cheap mascara in a rainstorm.
AJ Carter keeps the pages flying with juicy twists, suspicious neighbors, and plenty of rich-people drama. I guessed a couple of the surprises before they landed, which kept it from five stars, but I was still fully invested in the chaos.
Think Desperate Housewives with deeper pockets and darker secrets. Messy, entertaining, and packed with enough gossip and deception to keep me flipping pages way past bedtime. 🔥
Thanks to #NetGalley, A.J. Carter and Boldwood Books for a copy of Rich Little Liars for my honest, voluntary review. #RichLittleLiars #AJCarter #BoldwoodBooks #NewRelease
After a house fire kills her husband, Kelly Reynolds disappears into the East Hamptons, where the lawns are perfect, the smiles are polished, and everybody seems to be hiding something. When anonymous notes start showing up, Kelly’s carefully rebuilt life begins to crack faster than cheap mascara in a rainstorm.
AJ Carter keeps the pages flying with juicy twists, suspicious neighbors, and plenty of rich-people drama. I guessed a couple of the surprises before they landed, which kept it from five stars, but I was still fully invested in the chaos.
Think Desperate Housewives with deeper pockets and darker secrets. Messy, entertaining, and packed with enough gossip and deception to keep me flipping pages way past bedtime. 🔥
Thanks to #NetGalley, A.J. Carter and Boldwood Books for a copy of Rich Little Liars for my honest, voluntary review. #RichLittleLiars #AJCarter #BoldwoodBooks #NewRelease
June 19, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the free digital advanced readers copy. I leave this review voluntarily.
I thought it was a good story with 2 good twists. There is a Dual Timeline where Kelly Reynolds life is falling apart in the past and when she tries to rebuild it in the present - without her husband Daniel since he died in a tragic house fire in the past.
She moves to East Hampton but I kept thinking she should not have done that. It’s a close knit community and she feels they are gossiping about her, watching her and excluding her. She seems to be unraveling.
She meets a doctor who believes she is a good person and he really likes her. I felt this character was flat and thought his desire to spend time with Kelly was somewhat quick and unrealistic.
The beginning of the story was slower paced but after about 65% the plot seemed to come together. I enjoyed it despite the identity of one person being a blindside. The concluding chapter helped some things that happened previously to make sense in hindsight.
I thought it was a good story with 2 good twists. There is a Dual Timeline where Kelly Reynolds life is falling apart in the past and when she tries to rebuild it in the present - without her husband Daniel since he died in a tragic house fire in the past.
She moves to East Hampton but I kept thinking she should not have done that. It’s a close knit community and she feels they are gossiping about her, watching her and excluding her. She seems to be unraveling.
She meets a doctor who believes she is a good person and he really likes her. I felt this character was flat and thought his desire to spend time with Kelly was somewhat quick and unrealistic.
The beginning of the story was slower paced but after about 65% the plot seemed to come together. I enjoyed it despite the identity of one person being a blindside. The concluding chapter helped some things that happened previously to make sense in hindsight.
July 29, 2026
Meh, it wasn’t horrible but not great either. I guessed the plot twist about half way through the book and I feel like this story has been done many times before. It was a quick read if you are in the mood for a forgettable suspense novel.
September 4, 2026
This is predictable and I guessed this ending about twenty minutes in. This is a trite story told a thousand times and a thousand times better. Resist the pressure, save your time and turn away..nothing new to read here.
June 21, 2026
This was my first book by A.J. Carter and was very impressed. It was fast paced and kept me guessing and just went I thought I had it figured out then came the real twist.
August 24, 2026
Read this in two days! Haven’t read a book with an ending with such an unanticipated twist in a very long time. Easy read that kept me hooked the entire time. Probably closer to a 4.5 as Kelly harped on a lot about guilt when it ended up being slightly more anti-climactic. But the 5 is warranted for the ending!
September 7, 2026
thank god it’s over
June 10, 2026
RICH LITTLE LIARS BY AJ CARTER.
4 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s
This was so good and soooo blooming messy and I was so here for it.
Really great psychological thriller
4 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s
This was so good and soooo blooming messy and I was so here for it.
Really great psychological thriller
August 28, 2026
don’t waste your time
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A sizzling, addictive East Hamptons domestic suspense!
"A relentlessly pacy thriller where a grieving recluse is forced to play a high-society game of cat-and-mouse against anonymous threats."
In RICH LITTLE LIARS, author AJ Carter delivers an atmospheric, affluent coastal New York contemporary psychological thriller mystery. The story hinges on a traumatized house fire survivor facing immense social hurdles and toxic town gossip to keep her dark history buried. Reclusive widow vs. an elitist neighborhood of hidden corruption.
Elevator Pitch
Hoping to erase the memory of the tragic house fire that killed her husband, a widow flees to a wealthy East Hamptons enclave for a fresh start, only to be dragged into the inner social circle of her elite neighbors just as an anonymous letter arrives with five chilling words: I know what you did.
Setting
The pristine, ultra-exclusive coastal community of the East Hamptons, New York. The story shifts between tense neighborhood brunch gatherings, sprawling luxury beachfront estates, and the lingering, smoky memories of a devastating house fire.
Vibe
Tense, paranoid, and twisty. It perfectly pairs the glamorous, "rich people problems" drama of Big Little Lies with the suffocating, slow-burning dread of a classic small-town psychological conspiracy.
Genre
Psychological Thriller / Domestic Suspense / Crime Fiction.
Themes
~The Facade of Wealth
~Judgment and Survivor's Guilt
~The Impossibility of Escape
~Betrayal and Complicity
KELLY REYNOLDS: THE PARANOID RECLUSE
Turning a desperate desire to stay hidden into a sharp-eyed defense strategy against her neighbors.
Standout Characters
~Kelly Reynolds: The protagonist; a traumatized widow trying to rebuild her life while fiercely guarding a secret she is willing to kill to protect.
~Richard and Roxanne: The neighborhood power brokers; a pair of elite, affluent instigators whose welcoming exterior hides a deeply calculated agenda.
Author Writing Standout
Carter’s signature gift for writing twisty, razor-sharp suspense fiction set in glamorous locations shines through in his relentless, fast pacing.
Takeaway
A pristine reputation is often the ultimate camouflage for a monster; the secrets we run the fastest from are always the ones that have a knife waiting at the finish line.
Title Significance
Rich Little Liars acts as a direct, scathing indictment of the East Hamptons social elite. It highlights how easily immense wealth can buy absolute privacy, while simultaneously signaling that every elegant neighbor Kelly encounters is hiding a dark truth of their own.
Metaphor
The five-word anonymous letters serve as the central metaphor of the novel. They represent an inescapable digital and physical mirror—a tool that shatters the protective illusions of Kelly’s expensive new sanctuary and forces her to look directly at the ash and smoke of her past.
Why You Should Read
Read this if you are a fan of fast-paced, twisty domestic thrillers like those by Jamie Day, Emily Shiner, Freida McFadden, Miranda Rijks, Daniel Hurst, or if you love glamorous, multi-POV mysteries filled with messy relationships and jaw-dropping final reveals.
My Thoughts
The novel succeeds in building immediate psychological tension. The Hamptons timeline is perfectly captured—not just through aesthetics, but through the heavy social anxieties of neighborhood gossip and the systemic corruption of the town's elite. Kelly is an unforgettable lead; her vulnerability, fear, and ultimate survival instinct make her journey highly grounding. Full of scandal, secrets, paranoia, deception, and lies.
Verdict: 4 / 5 Stars
"A sizzling, addictive East Hamptons domestic suspense popcorn thriller. It perfectly pairs glamorous "rich people problems" drama with the suffocating, slow-burning dread of a classic small-town psychological conspiracy." #CoverLove
Recs
~The Family Secret by AJ Carter
~The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell
~The Neighbors Are Watching by Maggie Blum Thompson
~The Block Party by Jamie Day
Special thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: June 5, 2026
June 2026 Must-Read Books
June Newsletter
"A relentlessly pacy thriller where a grieving recluse is forced to play a high-society game of cat-and-mouse against anonymous threats."
In RICH LITTLE LIARS, author AJ Carter delivers an atmospheric, affluent coastal New York contemporary psychological thriller mystery. The story hinges on a traumatized house fire survivor facing immense social hurdles and toxic town gossip to keep her dark history buried. Reclusive widow vs. an elitist neighborhood of hidden corruption.
Elevator Pitch
Hoping to erase the memory of the tragic house fire that killed her husband, a widow flees to a wealthy East Hamptons enclave for a fresh start, only to be dragged into the inner social circle of her elite neighbors just as an anonymous letter arrives with five chilling words: I know what you did.
Setting
The pristine, ultra-exclusive coastal community of the East Hamptons, New York. The story shifts between tense neighborhood brunch gatherings, sprawling luxury beachfront estates, and the lingering, smoky memories of a devastating house fire.
Vibe
Tense, paranoid, and twisty. It perfectly pairs the glamorous, "rich people problems" drama of Big Little Lies with the suffocating, slow-burning dread of a classic small-town psychological conspiracy.
Genre
Psychological Thriller / Domestic Suspense / Crime Fiction.
Themes
~The Facade of Wealth
~Judgment and Survivor's Guilt
~The Impossibility of Escape
~Betrayal and Complicity
KELLY REYNOLDS: THE PARANOID RECLUSE
Turning a desperate desire to stay hidden into a sharp-eyed defense strategy against her neighbors.
Standout Characters
~Kelly Reynolds: The protagonist; a traumatized widow trying to rebuild her life while fiercely guarding a secret she is willing to kill to protect.
~Richard and Roxanne: The neighborhood power brokers; a pair of elite, affluent instigators whose welcoming exterior hides a deeply calculated agenda.
Author Writing Standout
Carter’s signature gift for writing twisty, razor-sharp suspense fiction set in glamorous locations shines through in his relentless, fast pacing.
Takeaway
A pristine reputation is often the ultimate camouflage for a monster; the secrets we run the fastest from are always the ones that have a knife waiting at the finish line.
Title Significance
Rich Little Liars acts as a direct, scathing indictment of the East Hamptons social elite. It highlights how easily immense wealth can buy absolute privacy, while simultaneously signaling that every elegant neighbor Kelly encounters is hiding a dark truth of their own.
Metaphor
The five-word anonymous letters serve as the central metaphor of the novel. They represent an inescapable digital and physical mirror—a tool that shatters the protective illusions of Kelly’s expensive new sanctuary and forces her to look directly at the ash and smoke of her past.
Why You Should Read
Read this if you are a fan of fast-paced, twisty domestic thrillers like those by Jamie Day, Emily Shiner, Freida McFadden, Miranda Rijks, Daniel Hurst, or if you love glamorous, multi-POV mysteries filled with messy relationships and jaw-dropping final reveals.
My Thoughts
The novel succeeds in building immediate psychological tension. The Hamptons timeline is perfectly captured—not just through aesthetics, but through the heavy social anxieties of neighborhood gossip and the systemic corruption of the town's elite. Kelly is an unforgettable lead; her vulnerability, fear, and ultimate survival instinct make her journey highly grounding. Full of scandal, secrets, paranoia, deception, and lies.
Verdict: 4 / 5 Stars
"A sizzling, addictive East Hamptons domestic suspense popcorn thriller. It perfectly pairs glamorous "rich people problems" drama with the suffocating, slow-burning dread of a classic small-town psychological conspiracy." #CoverLove
Recs
~The Family Secret by AJ Carter
~The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell
~The Neighbors Are Watching by Maggie Blum Thompson
~The Block Party by Jamie Day
Special thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: June 5, 2026
June 2026 Must-Read Books
June Newsletter
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rich Little Liars opens with a dead husband, a house fire, and a woman relocating to the East Hamptons, which is basically the universal sign for, “this is not a fresh start, this is Act Two of the disaster.”
Kelly Reynolds survives the fire that kills her husband, Daniel, and promptly moves into a neighborhood full of pristine hedges, expensive smiles, and the kind of women who definitely know your business before your Amazon package hits the porch. Everyone is polished, everyone is watching, and everyone somehow manages to look judgmental while holding a glass of white wine. It’s like if Desperate Housewives had a trust fund and a Pilates membership.
Kelly is trying very hard to be normal, which of course makes her look immediately suspicious. Then anonymous notes start appearing, reminding her that somebody knows what really happened the night of the fire, and suddenly her rich-neighbor nightmare upgrades into full psychological thriller mode. Nothing says “welcome to the community” like a threatening note and a passive-aggressive garden party.
And Kelly... she is a lot. She is paranoid, twitchy, secretive, and makes choices that had me staring at the page like I was her unpaid therapist. She has the emotional energy of someone repeatedly saying “I just want peace” while actively walking deeper into the world’s most obvious mess. But honestly, I kind of respected it. Trauma does not make you charming and efficient. Sometimes it makes you weird at brunch and suspicious of anyone holding a casserole dish.
The flashbacks were where the real gossip lived. Present-day Kelly spends a lot of time feeling watched, which, yes, girl, because this is literally called Rich Little Liars. But the past timeline with Daniel, the unraveling marriage, the emotional manipulation, and all the ugly little cracks before everything catches fire, that’s where the story really starts cooking. You realize pretty quickly this is not just a sad widow story. This is a “everyone in this marriage needed either a divorce lawyer or an exorcist” story.
Then there’s Richard, the handsome neighbor who is nice to her, which in thrillers is basically the same as someone showing up wearing a shirt that says DEFINITELY TRUST ME. I do not trust nice men in domestic suspense. I have seen You. I have lived. Every time he appeared, I was like, sir, explain your vibe immediately. The book knows exactly what it’s doing there, and I had a great time accusing him of crimes from my couch.
Officer Harvey did test my patience a little because some of that detective thread felt so convenient it practically arrived gift-wrapped. I was willing to suspend disbelief, but I was doing it with my arms crossed. Still, I’ll forgive a lot if the final act delivers, and this one mostly does. The twist wasn’t a full throw-the-book-across-the-room moment for me, but it had enough bite that I got that deeply satisfying “I KNEW something was off” feeling, which is honestly half the joy of reading thrillers.
And that ending does a lot of heavy lifting. Suddenly Kelly’s paranoia makes more sense, the neighborhood weirdness clicks into place, and you get that lovely little thriller aftertaste where you want to flip back and see what the author was smirking about the whole time. I appreciate a book that lets me feel both smarter than everyone and completely played.
This is a fast, messy, suspiciously glamorous read, the kind of book you inhale in one sitting while loudly announcing “I hate everyone in this and I need to know what happens next.” It’s not the sharpest knife in the thriller drawer, but it is absolutely fun, and sometimes fun is all I’m asking for. Not every book needs to be Gone Girl. Sometimes I just want rich people behaving badly and a woman unraveling near a decorative hydrangea.
For me, this sat comfortably at 4 stars, which is the literary equivalent of saying, “Was this a little ridiculous? Yes. Did I still stay up until midnight finishing it because I needed answers? Also yes.” And honestly, that’s a respectable place to live.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Suspect Every Blonde Woman Holding a Cheese Board
Huge thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for handing me this deliciously messy ARC, because nothing brings people together quite like rich people lying in waterfront property.
Kelly Reynolds survives the fire that kills her husband, Daniel, and promptly moves into a neighborhood full of pristine hedges, expensive smiles, and the kind of women who definitely know your business before your Amazon package hits the porch. Everyone is polished, everyone is watching, and everyone somehow manages to look judgmental while holding a glass of white wine. It’s like if Desperate Housewives had a trust fund and a Pilates membership.
Kelly is trying very hard to be normal, which of course makes her look immediately suspicious. Then anonymous notes start appearing, reminding her that somebody knows what really happened the night of the fire, and suddenly her rich-neighbor nightmare upgrades into full psychological thriller mode. Nothing says “welcome to the community” like a threatening note and a passive-aggressive garden party.
And Kelly... she is a lot. She is paranoid, twitchy, secretive, and makes choices that had me staring at the page like I was her unpaid therapist. She has the emotional energy of someone repeatedly saying “I just want peace” while actively walking deeper into the world’s most obvious mess. But honestly, I kind of respected it. Trauma does not make you charming and efficient. Sometimes it makes you weird at brunch and suspicious of anyone holding a casserole dish.
The flashbacks were where the real gossip lived. Present-day Kelly spends a lot of time feeling watched, which, yes, girl, because this is literally called Rich Little Liars. But the past timeline with Daniel, the unraveling marriage, the emotional manipulation, and all the ugly little cracks before everything catches fire, that’s where the story really starts cooking. You realize pretty quickly this is not just a sad widow story. This is a “everyone in this marriage needed either a divorce lawyer or an exorcist” story.
Then there’s Richard, the handsome neighbor who is nice to her, which in thrillers is basically the same as someone showing up wearing a shirt that says DEFINITELY TRUST ME. I do not trust nice men in domestic suspense. I have seen You. I have lived. Every time he appeared, I was like, sir, explain your vibe immediately. The book knows exactly what it’s doing there, and I had a great time accusing him of crimes from my couch.
Officer Harvey did test my patience a little because some of that detective thread felt so convenient it practically arrived gift-wrapped. I was willing to suspend disbelief, but I was doing it with my arms crossed. Still, I’ll forgive a lot if the final act delivers, and this one mostly does. The twist wasn’t a full throw-the-book-across-the-room moment for me, but it had enough bite that I got that deeply satisfying “I KNEW something was off” feeling, which is honestly half the joy of reading thrillers.
And that ending does a lot of heavy lifting. Suddenly Kelly’s paranoia makes more sense, the neighborhood weirdness clicks into place, and you get that lovely little thriller aftertaste where you want to flip back and see what the author was smirking about the whole time. I appreciate a book that lets me feel both smarter than everyone and completely played.
This is a fast, messy, suspiciously glamorous read, the kind of book you inhale in one sitting while loudly announcing “I hate everyone in this and I need to know what happens next.” It’s not the sharpest knife in the thriller drawer, but it is absolutely fun, and sometimes fun is all I’m asking for. Not every book needs to be Gone Girl. Sometimes I just want rich people behaving badly and a woman unraveling near a decorative hydrangea.
For me, this sat comfortably at 4 stars, which is the literary equivalent of saying, “Was this a little ridiculous? Yes. Did I still stay up until midnight finishing it because I needed answers? Also yes.” And honestly, that’s a respectable place to live.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Suspect Every Blonde Woman Holding a Cheese Board
Huge thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for handing me this deliciously messy ARC, because nothing brings people together quite like rich people lying in waterfront property.
June 8, 2026
Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Rich Little Liars in exchange for an honest review.
Rich Little Liars is a psychological thriller that slowly unravels the story of Kelly, a woman trying to escape her past after a devastating house fire claims her husband’s life. Told across dual timelines, the novel gradually reveals the events that led her to East Hampton and the secrets she desperately wants to keep buried.
I initially found Kelly easy to sympathise with. Her struggles with anxiety, PTSD, and an unhappy marriage felt authentic and relatable. However, as the story progressed, I became increasingly frustrated with some of her choices and the way she allowed herself to be manipulated. At times, I wanted to shake her and tell her to not only stand up for herself but to get out of the damn house rather than hiding behind the curtains!
The dual timeline structure worked well, steadily revealing new information and keeping the mystery alive. Early on, I thought I had the story figured out and found some of Kelly’s vague confessions repetitive. Then the book delivered a major twist that completely changed my perspective and made me reconsider everything I thought I knew. It was one of those moments where you realise the clues were there all along.
The supporting cast added plenty of drama and tension, although I felt some character motivations could have been explored further. In particular, I would have liked more development of Kelly and Richard’s relationship, as I struggled to fully understand why Richard the kind local doctor became so devoted to her.
My main issue was the pacing in the final quarter of the book. By that point, I was becoming impatient with the constant angst and wanted answers sooner. While the ending was satisfying and delivered some genuine surprises, I personally think the big reveal could have arrived a little earlier. I was also left with a few unanswered questions.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and easy-to-read psychological thriller with an intriguing mystery, strong suspense, and a memorable twist. Fans of domestic suspense and books like The Housemaid will likely find plenty to enjoy here.
3.75 stars.
Rich Little Liars is a psychological thriller that slowly unravels the story of Kelly, a woman trying to escape her past after a devastating house fire claims her husband’s life. Told across dual timelines, the novel gradually reveals the events that led her to East Hampton and the secrets she desperately wants to keep buried.
I initially found Kelly easy to sympathise with. Her struggles with anxiety, PTSD, and an unhappy marriage felt authentic and relatable. However, as the story progressed, I became increasingly frustrated with some of her choices and the way she allowed herself to be manipulated. At times, I wanted to shake her and tell her to not only stand up for herself but to get out of the damn house rather than hiding behind the curtains!
The dual timeline structure worked well, steadily revealing new information and keeping the mystery alive. Early on, I thought I had the story figured out and found some of Kelly’s vague confessions repetitive. Then the book delivered a major twist that completely changed my perspective and made me reconsider everything I thought I knew. It was one of those moments where you realise the clues were there all along.
The supporting cast added plenty of drama and tension, although I felt some character motivations could have been explored further. In particular, I would have liked more development of Kelly and Richard’s relationship, as I struggled to fully understand why Richard the kind local doctor became so devoted to her.
My main issue was the pacing in the final quarter of the book. By that point, I was becoming impatient with the constant angst and wanted answers sooner. While the ending was satisfying and delivered some genuine surprises, I personally think the big reveal could have arrived a little earlier. I was also left with a few unanswered questions.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and easy-to-read psychological thriller with an intriguing mystery, strong suspense, and a memorable twist. Fans of domestic suspense and books like The Housemaid will likely find plenty to enjoy here.
3.75 stars.
June 19, 2026
Rich Little Liars by @ajcarterbooks
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Psychological Thriller
After surviving a house fire that killed her husband, Kelly Reynolds moves to the East Hamptons hoping for a fresh start. But when anonymous notes begin appearing at her door, she realizes someone knows the truth about that night. As secrets unravel and danger closes in, Kelly's new life starts falling apart.
My Screams: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I was dealing with a migraine yesterday and needed a distraction.
Big mistake
Because once I started this book, there was no putting it down.
From chapter one, I was hooked
This is Kelly's story a newly widowed woman trying to rebuild her life after tragedy. Told through a Then and Now timeline, the story slowly reveals the secrets, betrayals, and heartbreak that shaped her life.
What starts as a fresh beginning quickly turns into a nightmare when anonymous notes begin appearing and a stalker starts making Kelly's life miserable.
What hit me the hardest was how suffocating her life felt. Kelly is constantly looking over her shoulder, questioning everyone around her, and wondering who she can trust.
This quote perfectly sums up Kelly
I am: a woman at the end of her rope, desperate for someone anyone *to help her hold on.💔
That broke my heart.
And then there was Daniel.
THE AUDACITY OF THAT MAN. 😤
Every scene with him had my blood pressure rising. The gaslighting was absolutely infuriating, and more than once I wanted to reach into the book and slap him.
I became completely obsessed with one question:
Who is the stalker?
I needed answers.
I was so immersed in the story that I couldn't stop reading. Kelly felt incredibly lonely and hopeless, both in the past and the present, and every new betrayal made me want to give this woman a hug and tell her to run.
By the final chapters, I was practically holding my breath.
The tension was unbelievable.
Then I thought I could finally relax...
And I read the last chapter.
EXCUSE ME?!
WHAT DID I JUST READ??? 😱⚡
I sat there staring at my screen in complete shock.
AJ Carter got me good
Go read this book
Seriously
Just go read it
P.S Roxanne, Daniel,Harvey straight into the dustbin
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Psychological Thriller
After surviving a house fire that killed her husband, Kelly Reynolds moves to the East Hamptons hoping for a fresh start. But when anonymous notes begin appearing at her door, she realizes someone knows the truth about that night. As secrets unravel and danger closes in, Kelly's new life starts falling apart.
My Screams: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I was dealing with a migraine yesterday and needed a distraction.
Big mistake
Because once I started this book, there was no putting it down.
From chapter one, I was hooked
This is Kelly's story a newly widowed woman trying to rebuild her life after tragedy. Told through a Then and Now timeline, the story slowly reveals the secrets, betrayals, and heartbreak that shaped her life.
What starts as a fresh beginning quickly turns into a nightmare when anonymous notes begin appearing and a stalker starts making Kelly's life miserable.
What hit me the hardest was how suffocating her life felt. Kelly is constantly looking over her shoulder, questioning everyone around her, and wondering who she can trust.
This quote perfectly sums up Kelly
I am: a woman at the end of her rope, desperate for someone anyone *to help her hold on.💔
That broke my heart.
And then there was Daniel.
THE AUDACITY OF THAT MAN. 😤
Every scene with him had my blood pressure rising. The gaslighting was absolutely infuriating, and more than once I wanted to reach into the book and slap him.
I became completely obsessed with one question:
Who is the stalker?
I needed answers.
I was so immersed in the story that I couldn't stop reading. Kelly felt incredibly lonely and hopeless, both in the past and the present, and every new betrayal made me want to give this woman a hug and tell her to run.
By the final chapters, I was practically holding my breath.
The tension was unbelievable.
Then I thought I could finally relax...
And I read the last chapter.
EXCUSE ME?!
WHAT DID I JUST READ??? 😱⚡
I sat there staring at my screen in complete shock.
AJ Carter got me good
Go read this book
Seriously
Just go read it
P.S Roxanne, Daniel,Harvey straight into the dustbin
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was thankfully a quick read because I knew what was going on from almost the very beginning. Kelly has moved to East Hampton after a fire that killed her husband and destroyed their home. She’s looking to start over with a quiet new life. But almost as soon as she moves in, she starts receiving threatening notes. She already can’t handle the inquisitive nature of her neighbors and is determined not to talk about what happened with the fire. She continuously alludes to ‘the truth of that night’ and ‘what really happened’, so we know there’s some secret about it that she’s terrified someone has figured out.
The reader sees from two different perspectives, in the present as she tries to settle in and in the past, leading up to the fire. She only has one friend now, a prospective love interest named Richard, who’s pretty much the perfect man. He’s single, kind, patient, compassionate, and always available at the drop of a hat, because how busy can a Hamptons doctor be, apparently? And yet he’s still single and uninterested in anyone until Kelly arrives.
I can’t even mention the part of the story that gave everything away because as soon as you read about that character, you realize what happened. So once you figure that out, you’ve got 75% of the book to get through, waiting for it to be revealed. And it’s just a whole lot of Kelly being scared and starting to tell ‘the whole truth’ to Richard and then deciding ‘no, I just can’t, he’ll never stay with me.’ It actually happens with these exact words several times throughout the book! There just wasn't enough substance to the story, with a lot of repetition to add filler.
I think it would have been better as a short story – tightened up, no repetition, and moving so fast you don’t have time to consider what’s truly going on.
My thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the free advanced reading copy of this book.
The reader sees from two different perspectives, in the present as she tries to settle in and in the past, leading up to the fire. She only has one friend now, a prospective love interest named Richard, who’s pretty much the perfect man. He’s single, kind, patient, compassionate, and always available at the drop of a hat, because how busy can a Hamptons doctor be, apparently? And yet he’s still single and uninterested in anyone until Kelly arrives.
I can’t even mention the part of the story that gave everything away because as soon as you read about that character, you realize what happened. So once you figure that out, you’ve got 75% of the book to get through, waiting for it to be revealed. And it’s just a whole lot of Kelly being scared and starting to tell ‘the whole truth’ to Richard and then deciding ‘no, I just can’t, he’ll never stay with me.’ It actually happens with these exact words several times throughout the book! There just wasn't enough substance to the story, with a lot of repetition to add filler.
I think it would have been better as a short story – tightened up, no repetition, and moving so fast you don’t have time to consider what’s truly going on.
My thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the free advanced reading copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Kelly Reynolds survives a house fire that killed her husband. Their home is destroyed and the insurance company pays out, allowing Kelly to make a fresh start. Now that Kelly is a rich woman, living in an expensive home in an upmarket area, can she fit into this wealthy community without people questioning her past?
Rich Little Liars is a psychological thriller from Bristol, UK based author A.J. Carter. This time the author travels across the pond to East Hampton, in the state of New York, US. Having read 3 of his novels before, I found it strange for a British author to change to an American setting, with American English spelling and local words. Once I got over this surprise, I found that this story would work anywhere in the whole world, not just places with trash cans and cell phones!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Rich Little Liars, the tension starts from the first page. Warning flags spring up all the time as this story develops. Normally one of my pet hates is changing time frames but Rich Little Liars is the exception. The author skillfully tells the story with each chapter beginning either “Then” or “Now”, being before or after the house fire. What this does for the reader is to build a story of how it is from Kelly’s point of view. So I became totally absorbed with the daily detail of Kelly’s life both before and after the house fire. I developed a strong empathy for Kelly and felt her husband had many, many faults.
I thought the plot was BRILLIANT making Rich Little Liars an outstanding 5 star read. Just when I thought that Kelly had got over the worst of her troubles, ready to live happily ever after with her new boyfriend Richard, there was a final shock with the ending of this novel. That is why this is a psychological thriller and not a romance of a widow making a new life for herself.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Boldwood Books for passing me an ARC on the understanding that I post a review.
Rich Little Liars is a psychological thriller from Bristol, UK based author A.J. Carter. This time the author travels across the pond to East Hampton, in the state of New York, US. Having read 3 of his novels before, I found it strange for a British author to change to an American setting, with American English spelling and local words. Once I got over this surprise, I found that this story would work anywhere in the whole world, not just places with trash cans and cell phones!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Rich Little Liars, the tension starts from the first page. Warning flags spring up all the time as this story develops. Normally one of my pet hates is changing time frames but Rich Little Liars is the exception. The author skillfully tells the story with each chapter beginning either “Then” or “Now”, being before or after the house fire. What this does for the reader is to build a story of how it is from Kelly’s point of view. So I became totally absorbed with the daily detail of Kelly’s life both before and after the house fire. I developed a strong empathy for Kelly and felt her husband had many, many faults.
I thought the plot was BRILLIANT making Rich Little Liars an outstanding 5 star read. Just when I thought that Kelly had got over the worst of her troubles, ready to live happily ever after with her new boyfriend Richard, there was a final shock with the ending of this novel. That is why this is a psychological thriller and not a romance of a widow making a new life for herself.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Boldwood Books for passing me an ARC on the understanding that I post a review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rich Little Liars by A.J. Carter gave me exactly the kind of chaotic rich-people thriller energy I tend to fly through in a day. 😅 Think: perfect neighborhoods, people pretending everything is fine, women unraveling, secrets everywhere, and that constant feeling that somebody is lying straight to your face.
Kelly moves to East Hampton after her husband dies in a house fire, trying to start over and basically disappear into this polished wealthy community. But then the anonymous notes start showing up and you immediately know this woman is about to absolutely lose her peace.
I’ll be honest… Kelly stressed me out a little. 😂 There were moments where her paranoia and spiraling started to feel repetitive, and I definitely wanted more from the neighbors because honestly THEY were the people I was most interested in. Give me the nosy rich women with hidden skeletons. That’s my thing.
But even with that, I still ate this book up. The short chapters made it ridiculously bingeable and the setting felt so vivid. It reminded me of one of those trashy-but-addictive true crime documentaries where everybody looks polished on the outside but behind closed doors everything is falling apart.
I did figure out part of the twist before the reveal, so it wasn’t a jaw-on-the-floor thriller for me, but there were still enough turns and messy reveals to keep me fully entertained. This is the kind of book I’d throw in a beach bag or read poolside while ignoring responsibilities.
I’d personally give this one about ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Not a perfect thriller for me, but absolutely entertaining, fast-paced, and easy to binge.
If you love wealthy neighborhood drama, secrets, paranoia, toxic relationships, and thrillers that feel like a Netflix series waiting to happen, this one is worth picking up.
Kelly moves to East Hampton after her husband dies in a house fire, trying to start over and basically disappear into this polished wealthy community. But then the anonymous notes start showing up and you immediately know this woman is about to absolutely lose her peace.
I’ll be honest… Kelly stressed me out a little. 😂 There were moments where her paranoia and spiraling started to feel repetitive, and I definitely wanted more from the neighbors because honestly THEY were the people I was most interested in. Give me the nosy rich women with hidden skeletons. That’s my thing.
But even with that, I still ate this book up. The short chapters made it ridiculously bingeable and the setting felt so vivid. It reminded me of one of those trashy-but-addictive true crime documentaries where everybody looks polished on the outside but behind closed doors everything is falling apart.
I did figure out part of the twist before the reveal, so it wasn’t a jaw-on-the-floor thriller for me, but there were still enough turns and messy reveals to keep me fully entertained. This is the kind of book I’d throw in a beach bag or read poolside while ignoring responsibilities.
I’d personally give this one about ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Not a perfect thriller for me, but absolutely entertaining, fast-paced, and easy to binge.
If you love wealthy neighborhood drama, secrets, paranoia, toxic relationships, and thrillers that feel like a Netflix series waiting to happen, this one is worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to A.J. Carter, NetGalley, and Boldwood Books for a copy of Rich Little Liars in exchange for an honest review.
This book and I entered a toxic relationship almost immediately. 💀
Kelly moves to the glamorous world of East Hampton after a fire kills her husband, supposedly looking for a fresh start, but from the very beginning I could not connect with her at all. Not in a “love to hate her” thriller way either. Just plain exhausting. Every decision felt dramatic for the sake of drama, and I spent most of the book wanting literally anyone else to take over the storyline.
The biggest issue? The “big secret” practically walked into the room wearing a neon sign within the first few chapters. Once I figured it out that early, I kept waiting for the story to pull a rabbit out of its designer handbag and surprise me with something. A twist. A shocking reveal. A reason for all the slow circling. Instead, the plot just kept stretching itself thinner and thinner like dollar-store taffy until I was mentally begging the chapters to speed up.
This honestly felt like a story that could have been told in five sharp, fast-paced chapters instead of dragging itself across an entire novel. There was so much repetition, so much filler, and not nearly enough payoff. For a thriller set among wealthy secrets and scandal, it somehow managed to feel strangely flat. And that ending? By the time it arrived, I was less “shocked and amazed” and more “finally, sweet freedom.”
Final Verdict:
A thriller that spilled its secrets way too early and then spent the rest of the book wandering around East Hampton hoping nobody would notice. Unlikable characters, painfully predictable twists, and pacing slower than a traffic jam in a gated community valet line. One of my biggest disappointments of 2026. ⭐☆
This book and I entered a toxic relationship almost immediately. 💀
Kelly moves to the glamorous world of East Hampton after a fire kills her husband, supposedly looking for a fresh start, but from the very beginning I could not connect with her at all. Not in a “love to hate her” thriller way either. Just plain exhausting. Every decision felt dramatic for the sake of drama, and I spent most of the book wanting literally anyone else to take over the storyline.
The biggest issue? The “big secret” practically walked into the room wearing a neon sign within the first few chapters. Once I figured it out that early, I kept waiting for the story to pull a rabbit out of its designer handbag and surprise me with something. A twist. A shocking reveal. A reason for all the slow circling. Instead, the plot just kept stretching itself thinner and thinner like dollar-store taffy until I was mentally begging the chapters to speed up.
This honestly felt like a story that could have been told in five sharp, fast-paced chapters instead of dragging itself across an entire novel. There was so much repetition, so much filler, and not nearly enough payoff. For a thriller set among wealthy secrets and scandal, it somehow managed to feel strangely flat. And that ending? By the time it arrived, I was less “shocked and amazed” and more “finally, sweet freedom.”
Final Verdict:
A thriller that spilled its secrets way too early and then spent the rest of the book wandering around East Hampton hoping nobody would notice. Unlikable characters, painfully predictable twists, and pacing slower than a traffic jam in a gated community valet line. One of my biggest disappointments of 2026. ⭐☆
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rich Little Liars follows Kelly Reynolds, a widow who escapes to the wealthy East Hamptons after a deadly house fire kills her husband. Hoping to leave the past behind, she instead finds herself receiving anonymous notes from someone who seems to know what really happened the night of the fire. As the secrets surrounding her new neighborhood start unraveling, Kelly realizes her past may not be as buried as she thought.
This book was honestly a slow burn for me, and not always in a good way. I liked the wealthy East Hamptons setting and the whole polished-on-the-outside, messy-underneath vibe, but I had a really hard time connecting with Kelly for most of the story. The chapters alternate between “now” and “then,” but I don’t think enough of the backstory was given early enough to justify how paranoid and dramatic she seemed. As far as we knew at that point, her husband had died in a fire, so her constant fear of being watched felt a little over the top instead of suspenseful.
I also found myself distracted by the lack of realistic security measures. If Kelly truly believed someone was watching her or leaving notes at her house, it was hard to understand why she wouldn’t install something as simple as a Ring doorbell or cameras. In today’s world, that omission made her reactions feel less convincing.
That being said, the twist actually worked really well for me. Somehow, I genuinely did not put it together until the very end, which almost never happens for me with thrillers. Once everything finally clicked, I found myself way more invested, and honestly, it wasn’t until the last part of the book that I really started liking it. Overall, this one didn’t fully land for me emotionally, but the ending definitely saved it and made the payoff worth sticking around for.
This book was honestly a slow burn for me, and not always in a good way. I liked the wealthy East Hamptons setting and the whole polished-on-the-outside, messy-underneath vibe, but I had a really hard time connecting with Kelly for most of the story. The chapters alternate between “now” and “then,” but I don’t think enough of the backstory was given early enough to justify how paranoid and dramatic she seemed. As far as we knew at that point, her husband had died in a fire, so her constant fear of being watched felt a little over the top instead of suspenseful.
I also found myself distracted by the lack of realistic security measures. If Kelly truly believed someone was watching her or leaving notes at her house, it was hard to understand why she wouldn’t install something as simple as a Ring doorbell or cameras. In today’s world, that omission made her reactions feel less convincing.
That being said, the twist actually worked really well for me. Somehow, I genuinely did not put it together until the very end, which almost never happens for me with thrillers. Once everything finally clicked, I found myself way more invested, and honestly, it wasn’t until the last part of the book that I really started liking it. Overall, this one didn’t fully land for me emotionally, but the ending definitely saved it and made the payoff worth sticking around for.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rich Little Liars is a fast-paced psychological thriller set in the picture-perfect world of the East Hamptons, where wealth, image, and social status are everything. Beneath the polished homes, exclusive parties, and carefully curated appearances, however, lies a community filled with secrets, lies, and hidden agendas. Everyone pretends that everything — and everyone — is perfectly fine while darkness quietly simmers beneath the surface.
After her husband dies in a tragic fire, Kelly relocates to the East Hamptons hoping to disappear into the wealthy community and finally leave her troubled past behind. But escaping the past proves impossible when mysterious notes begin appearing, each containing cryptic references to a secret Kelly desperately wants hidden. As the notes continue, Kelly’s fear and paranoia steadily intensify, causing her to spiral further out of control and question everyone around her.
The novel is structured with short chapters that alternate between “then” and “now,” slowly revealing Kelly’s backstory piece by piece. This format keeps the suspense building and makes the story very easy to binge-read. The pacing moves quickly, and there are plenty of twists and unexpected turns along the way to keep readers engaged and guessing.
Overall, this was an entertaining, suspenseful, and easy-to-devour thriller filled with wealthy secrets, paranoia, deception, and unraveling lies. It’s the kind of book that is easy to lose yourself in for an afternoon.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advance copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving this honest, personal, and unbiased review.
After her husband dies in a tragic fire, Kelly relocates to the East Hamptons hoping to disappear into the wealthy community and finally leave her troubled past behind. But escaping the past proves impossible when mysterious notes begin appearing, each containing cryptic references to a secret Kelly desperately wants hidden. As the notes continue, Kelly’s fear and paranoia steadily intensify, causing her to spiral further out of control and question everyone around her.
The novel is structured with short chapters that alternate between “then” and “now,” slowly revealing Kelly’s backstory piece by piece. This format keeps the suspense building and makes the story very easy to binge-read. The pacing moves quickly, and there are plenty of twists and unexpected turns along the way to keep readers engaged and guessing.
Overall, this was an entertaining, suspenseful, and easy-to-devour thriller filled with wealthy secrets, paranoia, deception, and unraveling lies. It’s the kind of book that is easy to lose yourself in for an afternoon.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advance copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving this honest, personal, and unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review: Rich Little Liars by AJ Carter
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I’m always on the hunt for a new psychological thriller that actually keeps me guessing, and Rich Little Liars absolutely delivered. This was my first time reading AJ Carter, and it certainly won't be my last.
The story kicks off with a literal bang—the house fire that kills Kelly’s husband is an explosive start that hooked me immediately. I loved the dual timelines; switching between the "before" and "after" kept the tension high and made the mystery of what really happened that night feel so much more urgent.
The setting is perfect for this kind of story. There’s something so unsettling about the East Hamptons—all those gated estates and pristine lawns hiding messy, dark secrets. As Kelly starts getting those anonymous notes, you can really feel the walls closing in on her.
My highlights:
• The Twists: I pride myself on spotting where a plot is going, but while I managed to guess one development, the rest of the twists completely floored me.
• The Pacing: It does slow down a little bit in the middle as the suspense builds, but the ending more than makes up for it. It's a relentless scramble to the finish line.
• The Narrative: It felt fresh and gripping, perfect for anyone who likes a story where you can't trust the neighbors—or the protagonist.
If you’re a fan of authors like Lisa Jewell or Michelle Frances, you need to add this to your list. It’s a sizzling, addictive read that proves the truth is way more dangerous than the lies we tell to protect ourselves.
Solid 5 stars. I'll be looking out for more from Carter!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I’m always on the hunt for a new psychological thriller that actually keeps me guessing, and Rich Little Liars absolutely delivered. This was my first time reading AJ Carter, and it certainly won't be my last.
The story kicks off with a literal bang—the house fire that kills Kelly’s husband is an explosive start that hooked me immediately. I loved the dual timelines; switching between the "before" and "after" kept the tension high and made the mystery of what really happened that night feel so much more urgent.
The setting is perfect for this kind of story. There’s something so unsettling about the East Hamptons—all those gated estates and pristine lawns hiding messy, dark secrets. As Kelly starts getting those anonymous notes, you can really feel the walls closing in on her.
My highlights:
• The Twists: I pride myself on spotting where a plot is going, but while I managed to guess one development, the rest of the twists completely floored me.
• The Pacing: It does slow down a little bit in the middle as the suspense builds, but the ending more than makes up for it. It's a relentless scramble to the finish line.
• The Narrative: It felt fresh and gripping, perfect for anyone who likes a story where you can't trust the neighbors—or the protagonist.
If you’re a fan of authors like Lisa Jewell or Michelle Frances, you need to add this to your list. It’s a sizzling, addictive read that proves the truth is way more dangerous than the lies we tell to protect ourselves.
Solid 5 stars. I'll be looking out for more from Carter!
May 16, 2026
I received Rich Little Liars by A. J. Carter as an ARC—thank you to A.J. Carter, NetGalley, and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read and review.
Rich Little Liars is a fast-paced psychological thriller set in the picture-perfect world of the East Hamptons, where wealth, image, and social status mean everything. Beneath the polished homes, exclusive parties, and perfectly curated lives, there’s a darker reality—one full of secrets, lies, and hidden agendas. Everyone is pretending everything is fine… but it’s not.
After her husband dies in a tragic fire, Kelly moves to the East Hamptons hoping for a fresh start and a chance to leave her past behind. But that quickly unravels when she starts receiving mysterious notes hinting at a secret she desperately wants to keep buried. As the messages continue, her paranoia builds, and she begins to question everyone around her.
The story is told through short, alternating “then” and “now” chapters, which worked really well for me. It kept the pacing quick and made it an easy, bingeable read. The structure slowly reveals Kelly’s past while keeping the suspense going, and there are enough twists to keep things interesting.
That said, I did end up guessing the “big secret” fairly early on, which took away some of the impact for me. While it was definitely entertaining and kept me turning the pages, I found myself wanting a bit more depth and surprise overall.
Still, if you’re looking for a quick, engaging thriller with drama, secrets, and a glossy setting, this is a solid pick.
Rich Little Liars is a fast-paced psychological thriller set in the picture-perfect world of the East Hamptons, where wealth, image, and social status mean everything. Beneath the polished homes, exclusive parties, and perfectly curated lives, there’s a darker reality—one full of secrets, lies, and hidden agendas. Everyone is pretending everything is fine… but it’s not.
After her husband dies in a tragic fire, Kelly moves to the East Hamptons hoping for a fresh start and a chance to leave her past behind. But that quickly unravels when she starts receiving mysterious notes hinting at a secret she desperately wants to keep buried. As the messages continue, her paranoia builds, and she begins to question everyone around her.
The story is told through short, alternating “then” and “now” chapters, which worked really well for me. It kept the pacing quick and made it an easy, bingeable read. The structure slowly reveals Kelly’s past while keeping the suspense going, and there are enough twists to keep things interesting.
That said, I did end up guessing the “big secret” fairly early on, which took away some of the impact for me. While it was definitely entertaining and kept me turning the pages, I found myself wanting a bit more depth and surprise overall.
Still, if you’re looking for a quick, engaging thriller with drama, secrets, and a glossy setting, this is a solid pick.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The East Hamptons Never Stay Quiet
Kelly Reynolds moves to the East Hamptons hoping for a fresh start after surviving a devastating house fire that killed her husband. But not long after arriving, she begins receiving unsettling notes that make it clear her past may not be as far behind her as she thought.
This was a quick and twisty domestic thriller that definitely kept me turning the pages. The premise immediately hooked me, and I loved the idea of a woman trying to rebuild her life while someone seems determined to unravel it.
That said, this one didn’t fully work for me. The story is mainly told through Kelly’s point of view, and unfortunately I found her difficult to connect with. She came across as repetitive, somewhat one dimensional, and at times emotionally flat, which made it harder for me to stay fully invested in the story.
While I didn’t guess the twist ahead of time, I could tell one was coming because of the heavy buildup in the final section. When the reveal finally happened, parts of it felt a bit unbelievable, which lessened the impact for me.
Overall, this had a fantastic premise and enough suspense to keep me reading, but ultimately it didn’t deliver the emotional depth or payoff I was hoping for.
Thank you, Boldwood Books, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
🏷️: domestic thriller, psychological suspense, twisty reads, wealthy secrets, mystery and suspense
#RichLittleLiars #AJCarter #BookReview #DomesticThriller #NetGalley
Kelly Reynolds moves to the East Hamptons hoping for a fresh start after surviving a devastating house fire that killed her husband. But not long after arriving, she begins receiving unsettling notes that make it clear her past may not be as far behind her as she thought.
This was a quick and twisty domestic thriller that definitely kept me turning the pages. The premise immediately hooked me, and I loved the idea of a woman trying to rebuild her life while someone seems determined to unravel it.
That said, this one didn’t fully work for me. The story is mainly told through Kelly’s point of view, and unfortunately I found her difficult to connect with. She came across as repetitive, somewhat one dimensional, and at times emotionally flat, which made it harder for me to stay fully invested in the story.
While I didn’t guess the twist ahead of time, I could tell one was coming because of the heavy buildup in the final section. When the reveal finally happened, parts of it felt a bit unbelievable, which lessened the impact for me.
Overall, this had a fantastic premise and enough suspense to keep me reading, but ultimately it didn’t deliver the emotional depth or payoff I was hoping for.
Thank you, Boldwood Books, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
🏷️: domestic thriller, psychological suspense, twisty reads, wealthy secrets, mystery and suspense
#RichLittleLiars #AJCarter #BookReview #DomesticThriller #NetGalley
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