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We Are All Liars
We're best friends.
We trust each other.
But...
We are all liars.
Allie, Stacie, Diana, Emily and Gail have been by each other's sides for as long as they can remember. The Fierce Five. Best friends forever. But growing up has meant growing apart. And little white lies have grown into devastating secrets.
When Gail invites the increasingly estranged friends to reunite at her Scottish cabin, it could be the opportunity to mend old wounds and heal the cracks in their friendship. But when a freak snowstorm rocks the cabin and one of the girls is found dead on the ice, their weekend away becomes a race against time - and each other - to get off the mountain alive.
And in the end, whose story can you trust, when everything was founded on lies to begin with?
A rip-roaring psychological thriller with a twist you won't see coming - perfect for fans of Lucy Foley's The Hunting Party and Ruth Ware's In A Dark, Dark Wood...
We trust each other.
But...
We are all liars.
Allie, Stacie, Diana, Emily and Gail have been by each other's sides for as long as they can remember. The Fierce Five. Best friends forever. But growing up has meant growing apart. And little white lies have grown into devastating secrets.
When Gail invites the increasingly estranged friends to reunite at her Scottish cabin, it could be the opportunity to mend old wounds and heal the cracks in their friendship. But when a freak snowstorm rocks the cabin and one of the girls is found dead on the ice, their weekend away becomes a race against time - and each other - to get off the mountain alive.
And in the end, whose story can you trust, when everything was founded on lies to begin with?
A rip-roaring psychological thriller with a twist you won't see coming - perfect for fans of Lucy Foley's The Hunting Party and Ruth Ware's In A Dark, Dark Wood...
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published December 9, 2021
40 people are currently reading
1939 people want to read
About the author
Carys Jones
16 books235 followersCarys Jones is a thriller writer based in Shropshire where she lives with her husband, daughter and dog.
When she’s not writing she can often be found either walking round the local woodland or catching up on all things Disney related.
Carys also writes speculative thrillers with Harvill, Vintage as Carys Green. Always on My Mind is out now and The Other You will be released in March 2026.
Her favourite authors are Megan Abbott, Amy Engel and Taylor Jenkins Reid.
Carys is represented by Liza DeBlock at Greenstone Literary.
For more information about Carys please visit www.carys-jones.com or follow her online; @CarysJAuthor
When she’s not writing she can often be found either walking round the local woodland or catching up on all things Disney related.
Carys also writes speculative thrillers with Harvill, Vintage as Carys Green. Always on My Mind is out now and The Other You will be released in March 2026.
Her favourite authors are Megan Abbott, Amy Engel and Taylor Jenkins Reid.
Carys is represented by Liza DeBlock at Greenstone Literary.
For more information about Carys please visit www.carys-jones.com or follow her online; @CarysJAuthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
August 5, 2021
The Fierce Five receive an invitation to celebrate Gail’s 35th birthday at her remote cabin in the Scottish Highlands. Gail is the adventurer of the group and always well prepared. Then there’s writer Allie who lives inside herself and is somewhat of a loner, there’s beautiful Emily serenely happy with Adam and her much loved twins, then Stacie, twice married, straight talking but definitely masking something and finally, there’s Diana, a rebel from a tough background and soured by life. The story of the events during a severe snow storm is told in the present, with non chronological flashbacks to the past and interspersed with police interviews with a POI.
Initially, I find the flashbacks a bit much to take in but eventually you see a pattern and it works well in understanding the very complex dynamics between the group. The characterisation is really good with each individual portrayed well with all their angst, multiple issues, deep seated feelings and big burdens being carried. You wonder how a friendship group can have endured what has occurred in the past but then sometimes it’s those very issues that glue you together. The unease and tension between them is very clear from the start, there’s definitely some venom but then you realise who the peacemakers are that smooth over cracks. The setting for what kicks off in Scotland is fantastic, the storm is done brilliantly with the author making it feel like a living thing, almost an intruder desperate to find a way into the mountainside chalet. The atmosphere inside builds as does the storm outside, events take a desperate turn with secrets and lies buried deep erupting to the surface. Some of the conversations do go around and around a bit but equally that could be true to life as characters cover up as others persists in getting to the truth. As for the ending, I can’t decide if it’s really good or a bit of a let down but what I can say for sure is that it’s very unexpected and that is certainly a positive!
Overall, this is my first book by the author and it won’t be the last. It’s a good thriller that keeps you interested throughout.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Orion for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Initially, I find the flashbacks a bit much to take in but eventually you see a pattern and it works well in understanding the very complex dynamics between the group. The characterisation is really good with each individual portrayed well with all their angst, multiple issues, deep seated feelings and big burdens being carried. You wonder how a friendship group can have endured what has occurred in the past but then sometimes it’s those very issues that glue you together. The unease and tension between them is very clear from the start, there’s definitely some venom but then you realise who the peacemakers are that smooth over cracks. The setting for what kicks off in Scotland is fantastic, the storm is done brilliantly with the author making it feel like a living thing, almost an intruder desperate to find a way into the mountainside chalet. The atmosphere inside builds as does the storm outside, events take a desperate turn with secrets and lies buried deep erupting to the surface. Some of the conversations do go around and around a bit but equally that could be true to life as characters cover up as others persists in getting to the truth. As for the ending, I can’t decide if it’s really good or a bit of a let down but what I can say for sure is that it’s very unexpected and that is certainly a positive!
Overall, this is my first book by the author and it won’t be the last. It’s a good thriller that keeps you interested throughout.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Orion for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
September 25, 2021
Allie, Stacie, Diana, Emily and Gail are friends since childhood. They called themselves the Fierce Five and they swore each other to be friends forever. Now they are in their mid-thirties and life came in their way. They are not as close as they used to be. Gail decides to invite all of them for a reunification to her birthday to her remote cabin in Scotland. But soon you see that there are fractions in their friendship. They cling to their group but it seems that not all of them like each other anymore. When a storm hits the cabin and cuts them off from the outside things quickly escalate.
The characters have all their own backstory and their distinctive voice. We are closest to Allie. There are a lot of flashbacks to their past. Sometimes from things they experienced together, sometimes we only see a glimpse of one of the girl’s life. The flashbacks are within the story whenever the author thought it suits the story. They are not in separate chapters. And they are quite often. For me it took some of the tension out of the main plot. It slowed the story down. I must admit that I did not enjoy that way of handling the flashbacks. At first I liked Allie but after I while I stopped to feel sympathy for her. It seems that none of them, especially Allie and Stacie, grew up in the last twenty years. When they were fifteen something happened to two of them and this changed the dynamics within the group. And some of them never seemed to have moved on.
After a good start the story slowed down. Because of the many flashbacks, of course, but also because their conversations were going in circles. Especially when Allie and Diana are going through the crazy snow storm to get help they are bickering about something that happened twenty years ago. I found it highly unlikely that that would be on your mind while you are fighting your way through knee-height snow to get help for your friend who is in danger of dying. Later on there is a similar conversation on an old topic which goes on and on for pages but leads to nothing and it just seems so unrealistic. I did not understand why those women still spent time together. There were so many secrets and they never were all very supportive to each other. Their friendship became toxic without them realizing it and they handled their relationships like they were still teens.
The further I got into the story the less I enjoyed it. I got annoyed by the constant bickering, the conversations were all repetitive and the flashbacks slowed the story down. The ending was, well, a bit of a surprise. But to be honest, I did not get the point. And who was Stephanie?
I did not enjoy the book as much as I hoped I would. Allie likes to be the victim and never digested what happened to her. She stayed immature and makes stupid decisions not only while they are at the cabin but throughout her whole life as an adult. Even the twist at the end speaks volumes about her weirdness and her immaturity. It left me a bit confused.
Ireceived an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
The characters have all their own backstory and their distinctive voice. We are closest to Allie. There are a lot of flashbacks to their past. Sometimes from things they experienced together, sometimes we only see a glimpse of one of the girl’s life. The flashbacks are within the story whenever the author thought it suits the story. They are not in separate chapters. And they are quite often. For me it took some of the tension out of the main plot. It slowed the story down. I must admit that I did not enjoy that way of handling the flashbacks. At first I liked Allie but after I while I stopped to feel sympathy for her. It seems that none of them, especially Allie and Stacie, grew up in the last twenty years. When they were fifteen something happened to two of them and this changed the dynamics within the group. And some of them never seemed to have moved on.
After a good start the story slowed down. Because of the many flashbacks, of course, but also because their conversations were going in circles. Especially when Allie and Diana are going through the crazy snow storm to get help they are bickering about something that happened twenty years ago. I found it highly unlikely that that would be on your mind while you are fighting your way through knee-height snow to get help for your friend who is in danger of dying. Later on there is a similar conversation on an old topic which goes on and on for pages but leads to nothing and it just seems so unrealistic. I did not understand why those women still spent time together. There were so many secrets and they never were all very supportive to each other. Their friendship became toxic without them realizing it and they handled their relationships like they were still teens.
The further I got into the story the less I enjoyed it. I got annoyed by the constant bickering, the conversations were all repetitive and the flashbacks slowed the story down. The ending was, well, a bit of a surprise. But to be honest, I did not get the point. And who was Stephanie?
I did not enjoy the book as much as I hoped I would. Allie likes to be the victim and never digested what happened to her. She stayed immature and makes stupid decisions not only while they are at the cabin but throughout her whole life as an adult. Even the twist at the end speaks volumes about her weirdness and her immaturity. It left me a bit confused.
Ireceived an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
March 27, 2022
A psychological thriller with a classic premise - a group of friends fracturing - which is an intriguing read and has the benefit of a clever little ending.
This is a story that reveals its secrets over time, I liked the "locked in" setting and the "fierce five" all had something compelling about them. If anything it suffered from a disjointed first quarter, it was hard to grasp the characters, the flashback sequences were kind of random. Once you got the feel for it though it was hugely enjoyable.
Overall a good read made better by unexpected moments.
This is a story that reveals its secrets over time, I liked the "locked in" setting and the "fierce five" all had something compelling about them. If anything it suffered from a disjointed first quarter, it was hard to grasp the characters, the flashback sequences were kind of random. Once you got the feel for it though it was hugely enjoyable.
Overall a good read made better by unexpected moments.
March 22, 2022
Yet another thriller about female friends isolated away from civilisation. Five friends meet up in a log cabin to celebrate a birthday. After a violent storm they become snowed in.
This really was not for me. The story started well with police reports about a crime at the cabin. However, story moved along too slowly. I couldn’t relate to the characters. The conversations were too samey and didn’t take you anywhere. The very frequent flash backs, written in italics, were confusing at times. I didn’t like the way these backstories of the women was introduced into the novel, it slowed the plot down too much. It became boring. It seemed the only way the five could amuse themselves was by getting drunk and bicker. I also hated the nickname of one of them- ‘Allie Bear’- they are supposed to be in their mid-thirties for heaven’s sake.
I struggled through a 120 pages, and then had to give up as I had no interest in finding out how the book progressed, or ended. I couldn’t recommend this book.
November 20, 2022
Was going to be 3 stars until that ABSOLUTE SHIT SHOW COP OUT of an ending. I am furious 🥲
May 1, 2023
If they'd have had therapy I wouldn't have had to spend time reading this 🫠
May 24, 2022
Just finished reading this...thing. completely speechless. no words. It is an amazing book that deserves all the love in the world, and more confused readers.
I read this in three days but feel like I could have finished it in one sitting. I am tempted to re-read it but it won't feel the same as reading it for the first time.
I read this in three days but feel like I could have finished it in one sitting. I am tempted to re-read it but it won't feel the same as reading it for the first time.
January 12, 2023
I received this book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review~
So I was waiting for October to come around before I wanted to read this one because it is perfect for my Spooktober reading month! And I am glad I did wait because this was a ride! At times a tad slow, but there were enough moments that I was fully invested.
We got three ways of story-telling. We get flashbacks to tell us several events in the past that ruined everything and made the friendship cracked and broken. Especially the summer when they were 15. I loved the flashbacks so so much as it gave some clarity on everything, on their secrets, on their relationships, on their past, on their friendship. We see that each one of them carries secrets, has lied, hasn’t had it easy. Then there is the police interviews with an POI (I had my suspicion on two people, glad I was right). And lastly we have the story itself. The cabin, the birthday party, how everything went horrifically wrong. How things just went south. At times a bit boring as accusations flew by and no one listened to each other, or too much dialogue, but at times very very exciting and I was on the edge of my seat (today 6-10) or curled up in bed (the last 2 nights) just waiting to see what would happen. Who would survive. Who stole Emily’s insulin. Things got more hairy as the story continued and secrets were laid bare.
I really wonder why these girls have been friends, have stayed friends. I mean since those events in the summer of their 15th things just burst. Things went wrong. And I wonder why they stuck so closely to each other. Why they still acted like friends while the reader can clearly see that this isn’t a healthy friendship. Not at all.
Allie was for most our MC and see most of the events through her eyes, at least those in the story itself. In the flashbacks it is also about the other girls. I am still not sure how I felt about Allie. On the one hand I am happy she is continuing life, on the other hand I just wanted her to get over things, it’s been 20 years. She seems so stuck into that accident. As Lucas said, a part of her is seemingly still there. I wanted her to be honest. To tell people no. To talk to Lucas, because I found it a big dick move of her that she never told him she couldn’t get kids… while he wanted those. Hello. Talk about that. I know I did with my husband. I don’t want kids of my own (due to health reasons) and I made that clear quite early in the relationship because I wanted to be sure he is OK with it. I would definitely NOT hide such a vital thing to anyone.
The ending. *boom* My mind is blown. I won’t say anything more, but DANG, I didn’t see that one coming. That came totally out of the left field for me. XD
All in all, slow start, sometimes a tad confusing or too much dialogue, but when it gets going it goes and it was very exciting and I had fun reading this book and see all the twists/turns (though that ending. WOW)
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
So I was waiting for October to come around before I wanted to read this one because it is perfect for my Spooktober reading month! And I am glad I did wait because this was a ride! At times a tad slow, but there were enough moments that I was fully invested.
We got three ways of story-telling. We get flashbacks to tell us several events in the past that ruined everything and made the friendship cracked and broken. Especially the summer when they were 15. I loved the flashbacks so so much as it gave some clarity on everything, on their secrets, on their relationships, on their past, on their friendship. We see that each one of them carries secrets, has lied, hasn’t had it easy. Then there is the police interviews with an POI (I had my suspicion on two people, glad I was right). And lastly we have the story itself. The cabin, the birthday party, how everything went horrifically wrong. How things just went south. At times a bit boring as accusations flew by and no one listened to each other, or too much dialogue, but at times very very exciting and I was on the edge of my seat (today 6-10) or curled up in bed (the last 2 nights) just waiting to see what would happen. Who would survive. Who stole Emily’s insulin. Things got more hairy as the story continued and secrets were laid bare.
I really wonder why these girls have been friends, have stayed friends. I mean since those events in the summer of their 15th things just burst. Things went wrong. And I wonder why they stuck so closely to each other. Why they still acted like friends while the reader can clearly see that this isn’t a healthy friendship. Not at all.
Allie was for most our MC and see most of the events through her eyes, at least those in the story itself. In the flashbacks it is also about the other girls. I am still not sure how I felt about Allie. On the one hand I am happy she is continuing life, on the other hand I just wanted her to get over things, it’s been 20 years. She seems so stuck into that accident. As Lucas said, a part of her is seemingly still there. I wanted her to be honest. To tell people no. To talk to Lucas, because I found it a big dick move of her that she never told him she couldn’t get kids… while he wanted those. Hello. Talk about that. I know I did with my husband. I don’t want kids of my own (due to health reasons) and I made that clear quite early in the relationship because I wanted to be sure he is OK with it. I would definitely NOT hide such a vital thing to anyone.
The ending. *boom* My mind is blown. I won’t say anything more, but DANG, I didn’t see that one coming. That came totally out of the left field for me. XD
All in all, slow start, sometimes a tad confusing or too much dialogue, but when it gets going it goes and it was very exciting and I had fun reading this book and see all the twists/turns (though that ending. WOW)
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
February 27, 2023
Reading about a bunch of spoiled, priviledged teeenagers wore me down..... the prequel was much more interesting.
October 4, 2021
This book by Carys Jones started as something I thought I would enjoy thoroughly but I ended up loving it. The turns in this book included moments that had me stunned and sitting in disbelief. The premise of friends - collectively known as The Fierce Five since their youth - meeting up in a secluded Scottish cabin had me intrigued from the get-go and the characters pulled me in from Ally's first passage.
Some moments and reveals I saw coming from a way out but it didn't stop certain circumstances within each still a surprise. There is also so much from the Five's backstories in this that I could be further invested in - such as Gail and her life as I found myself relating to her (minus being almost a recluse in the Highlands!). Emily was so emotionally fractured and although you can see why some of her actions would harm friendships, she was written as a full character who your heart went out to. I loved them all in their own ways, whilst being ever-frustrated by how friendships can simply last a long time even when they don't necessarily feel the same as they once did.
I am thrilled to have got the opportunity to read this as the spoilers I could tell are fantastic. A wonderfully dark and atmospheric read that will be just right for the colder winter nights that are fast approaching. Do yourselves a favour and get a copy to devour and if you are like me then it is such a quick read because you want to know everything! I now intend to read The List by Carys soon as it also sounds right up my alley.
Some moments and reveals I saw coming from a way out but it didn't stop certain circumstances within each still a surprise. There is also so much from the Five's backstories in this that I could be further invested in - such as Gail and her life as I found myself relating to her (minus being almost a recluse in the Highlands!). Emily was so emotionally fractured and although you can see why some of her actions would harm friendships, she was written as a full character who your heart went out to. I loved them all in their own ways, whilst being ever-frustrated by how friendships can simply last a long time even when they don't necessarily feel the same as they once did.
I am thrilled to have got the opportunity to read this as the spoilers I could tell are fantastic. A wonderfully dark and atmospheric read that will be just right for the colder winter nights that are fast approaching. Do yourselves a favour and get a copy to devour and if you are like me then it is such a quick read because you want to know everything! I now intend to read The List by Carys soon as it also sounds right up my alley.
March 7, 2025
I really tried to like this, but it was just too slow and the characters too flat. I didn’t care who lived and who died, the only emotions I felt reading this were irritation and boredom.
The constant flashbacks destroy the pacing and eliminate the tension, and it’s often confusing as to when these events are taking place in the timeline. I didn’t enjoy the writing style either; the main thing that really got to me was the heavy handed use of alliteration which pulled me out of the story and sent me back to gcse English.
There are random chapters interspersed between a police officer and a ‘person of interest’ which were very poorly done. I’m not even sure whether it was on purpose or not, but I spent all of those chapters thinking that the officer was not very good at their job.
Then we have the twist ending, which is reminiscent of the ‘and then they woke up and it was all a dream’ cliche. I think it could have been done well, or at least better, if we had spent some time exploring Allie’s anger towards her friends. But we didn’t, Allie was a saint the whole time. Maybe this was deliberate as ‘Allie was writing it all along’ so why would she portray herself negatively, but it just meant that the ending didn’t work. I didn’t care. I just felt like the last 300 pages had been for nothing, no consequences.
The constant flashbacks destroy the pacing and eliminate the tension, and it’s often confusing as to when these events are taking place in the timeline. I didn’t enjoy the writing style either; the main thing that really got to me was the heavy handed use of alliteration which pulled me out of the story and sent me back to gcse English.
There are random chapters interspersed between a police officer and a ‘person of interest’ which were very poorly done. I’m not even sure whether it was on purpose or not, but I spent all of those chapters thinking that the officer was not very good at their job.
Then we have the twist ending, which is reminiscent of the ‘and then they woke up and it was all a dream’ cliche. I think it could have been done well, or at least better, if we had spent some time exploring Allie’s anger towards her friends. But we didn’t, Allie was a saint the whole time. Maybe this was deliberate as ‘Allie was writing it all along’ so why would she portray herself negatively, but it just meant that the ending didn’t work. I didn’t care. I just felt like the last 300 pages had been for nothing, no consequences.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2022
I'd give this book a 3.5. From the start the switching between the past, police interview and what happened at the cottage was really annoying, not well done. This book has almost a "and then there were none" plotline (being snowed in and cut off from everything), which I LOVE but this book didn't pull it off well IMO. By page 200+ I finally started to get in the flow and by that moment I thought the book was pretty good, but it didn't compensate for the drag before getting there. I'm glad I finally finished the book, because I have better books waiting for me. I wouldn't recommend, there's definitely better thrillers.
October 2, 2021
Arrrggh!! This book is amazing!! I loved the ending and screamed in delight as that was not expected at all. Seriously peeps, go buy this book!!
I loved the plot, the idea of childhood friends, attempting to maintain a friendship whilst they have drifted apart throughout adulthood..
The story uses different timelines to reflect their friendships, which helps to understand their experiences and how these have affected them.
The setting of the book was perfect and I could really visualise the surroundings and emotions.
This is an outstanding book and it’s hard to discuss without blurting out spoilers, this is an absolute must read for any thriller fans.
I loved the plot, the idea of childhood friends, attempting to maintain a friendship whilst they have drifted apart throughout adulthood..
The story uses different timelines to reflect their friendships, which helps to understand their experiences and how these have affected them.
The setting of the book was perfect and I could really visualise the surroundings and emotions.
This is an outstanding book and it’s hard to discuss without blurting out spoilers, this is an absolute must read for any thriller fans.
March 27, 2022
Excellent read, great twist at the end.
August 17, 2022
Full of twists
June 26, 2024
The plot kept me going, but the personalities and interactions were not believable.
July 26, 2021
This should appeal to keen readers of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley.
Rating: 4.1/5
The accompanying blurb suggested that this would be perfect for fans of Lucy Foley's "The Hunting Party" and Ruth Ware's "In A Dark, Dark Wood". Given that I thoroughly enjoyed both of those books I was naturally tempted to give "We Are All Liars" a try. However, I have been lured into reading novels by similar promises in the past that have subsequently proven to be disappointingly misleading, so whilst hopeful, I was still prepared to find myself being let down. I need have had no such concerns. Not only are comparisons the two aforementioned works understandable and justified, but the influence of Ruth Ware, in particular, is evident in a number of aspects of Carys Jones's writing.
As you will glean from the official synopsis, the main setting for the story is a secluded Scottish cabin, where five lifelong friends - "The Fierce Five" - have gathered to celebrate the 35th birthday of one of their number. The setting is a fine choice and provides just the kind of atmospheric backdrop that Ruth Ware is so accomplished at choosing for her novels. None of the five friends (Stacie, Gail, Emily, Diana and Allie) are entirely likeable and each exhibits character flaws to lesser or greater degrees. From quite early on I did wonder how this group of individuals had actually managed to remain friends for such a long time.
Although the main narrative is set on the weekend of the birthday celebrations in the Scottish cabin, this is interspersed with regular historical flashbacks to various events in the lives of "The Fierce Five". These flashbacks are not chronologically ordered, nor are they signposted to tell you exactly when they relate to - this only becomes apparent from the content. I have to admit that in the early chapters I did find that there was a lot of information to try to assimilate, whilst simultaneously trying not to confuse one character with another. If I were to aim a criticism in the direction of the author, then it would be that these opening sections could have been a little more reader friendly.
However, that one small point aside, Carys Jones has succeeded in delivering a thoroughly entertaining mystery thriller: The characterisation is strong and authentic, supported by well-executed dialogue. The pace of the novel is generally very good and there are sections of palpable tension and suspense. And pulling all of those elements neatly together is a plot that has been carefully and tightly constructed.
Definitely one to add to your reading list.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
Rating: 4.1/5
The accompanying blurb suggested that this would be perfect for fans of Lucy Foley's "The Hunting Party" and Ruth Ware's "In A Dark, Dark Wood". Given that I thoroughly enjoyed both of those books I was naturally tempted to give "We Are All Liars" a try. However, I have been lured into reading novels by similar promises in the past that have subsequently proven to be disappointingly misleading, so whilst hopeful, I was still prepared to find myself being let down. I need have had no such concerns. Not only are comparisons the two aforementioned works understandable and justified, but the influence of Ruth Ware, in particular, is evident in a number of aspects of Carys Jones's writing.
As you will glean from the official synopsis, the main setting for the story is a secluded Scottish cabin, where five lifelong friends - "The Fierce Five" - have gathered to celebrate the 35th birthday of one of their number. The setting is a fine choice and provides just the kind of atmospheric backdrop that Ruth Ware is so accomplished at choosing for her novels. None of the five friends (Stacie, Gail, Emily, Diana and Allie) are entirely likeable and each exhibits character flaws to lesser or greater degrees. From quite early on I did wonder how this group of individuals had actually managed to remain friends for such a long time.
Although the main narrative is set on the weekend of the birthday celebrations in the Scottish cabin, this is interspersed with regular historical flashbacks to various events in the lives of "The Fierce Five". These flashbacks are not chronologically ordered, nor are they signposted to tell you exactly when they relate to - this only becomes apparent from the content. I have to admit that in the early chapters I did find that there was a lot of information to try to assimilate, whilst simultaneously trying not to confuse one character with another. If I were to aim a criticism in the direction of the author, then it would be that these opening sections could have been a little more reader friendly.
However, that one small point aside, Carys Jones has succeeded in delivering a thoroughly entertaining mystery thriller: The characterisation is strong and authentic, supported by well-executed dialogue. The pace of the novel is generally very good and there are sections of palpable tension and suspense. And pulling all of those elements neatly together is a plot that has been carefully and tightly constructed.
Definitely one to add to your reading list.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
October 3, 2021
We are all liars is a book about secrets, lies and female friendships. The story flips from the present day, where five friends who have known each other since childhood, go to a remote Scottish cabin to begin their 30th birthday celebrations, to regular flashback episodes from their past. There is also a third part to this book where an unknown ‘person of interest’ is being interviewed by the police intermittently throughout the story in a present day narrative. I found it quite frustrating to read about all these ladies and their history as it took so long to actually find any real facts out about them. There were hints here and there and everywhere pointing towards a chain of events, but nothing was explained properly and was probably written to keep the reader wanting more. But I just ended up finding it annoying. To be honest, the only reason I continued to the end is because I wanted to know who was being interviewed by the police and why. I won’t spoil the ending, but all I can say is I personally found it very disappointing and there wasn’t one character I had any real connection with. I think that there are many readers who will love the way this thriller is written and playing the guessing game, it just wasn’t a favourite of mine.
September 27, 2021
I liked the idea of this book from the blurb and it started off well. The first part of the story with the atmosphere surrounding the cabin was great. I was there in the dark with them trekking up to the cabin after being dropped off and feeling the cold and a sense of suspense. Unfortunately, as the book went on I began to lose interest. I couldn't understand why these friends were meeting up when they didn't appear to like each other very much.
The author writes well but I felt that the wording was over-descriptive at times and the clenching of fists, jaws, teeth, chewing of cheeks and looking at nails grated on me,so much so that I started to note them on my kindle edition (I know I'm finicky like that).
I sort of enjoyed it for the most part but it tended to ramble on and the storyline lacked cohesion for me. I didn't feel that I got to know the characters particularly well. It's a readable, okay tale written in different timeshifts (skillfully done so you know when they are flashbacks) with an ending that I'm still chewing (my cheek) over.
The author writes well but I felt that the wording was over-descriptive at times and the clenching of fists, jaws, teeth, chewing of cheeks and looking at nails grated on me,so much so that I started to note them on my kindle edition (I know I'm finicky like that).
I sort of enjoyed it for the most part but it tended to ramble on and the storyline lacked cohesion for me. I didn't feel that I got to know the characters particularly well. It's a readable, okay tale written in different timeshifts (skillfully done so you know when they are flashbacks) with an ending that I'm still chewing (my cheek) over.
April 11, 2023
I do agree with MW Craven - it is addictive in the sense you want to read more of the bitesize chapters but it was to get through it. It was based too much on feminine drama for my liking - like an editor of Grazia has written a crime story. The twist at the end is clever- didn't guess it, and the atmospheric use of language to explain the storm was good but I won't be dying to buy another of her books yet...
November 2, 2025
I thoroughly disliked this book!
There wasn't a single likeable character, and almost every plot point was utterly preposterous.
I kept reading to the end in the vain hope that at least the 'whodunnit and why' explanation might be satisfying, only for the ending to turn into a Bobby-Ewing-in-the-shower moment.
Dreadful.
There wasn't a single likeable character, and almost every plot point was utterly preposterous.
I kept reading to the end in the vain hope that at least the 'whodunnit and why' explanation might be satisfying, only for the ending to turn into a Bobby-Ewing-in-the-shower moment.
Dreadful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2022
Thought the writing was all over the place. Gave up on it.
June 2, 2022
The reviews on this book are wildly misleading. It’s slow, the characters are completely unlikeable and the ending was just ridiculous. I appreciate the idea but just did not enjoy.
August 13, 2022
I found this plot so bizzare and messy, none of the characters were likeable and the ending was pretty random. I finished more confused then when I first started it.
January 2, 2022
A vast majority of this breath taking, intense tale of toxic friendships, betrayals, secrets, survival and deception is narrated from the perspective of Allie who along with Diana, Stacie, Emily and Gail had been known as the Fierce Five since their school days. The reader is made aware from the minute that Allie is first introduced into the story that she has reservations about attending the friend's reunion at Gail's isolated cabin that was situated in the Scottish Highlands. As the story which is set in the present day and the past unfolds it becomes apparent that the friendships between some of the women were not as close as people outside the group believed them to be.
As the temperature plummeted on both the inside and outside of the cabin, the women found themselves cut off from civilisation with no means of summoning help. But how and why had the reunion gone so badly and tragically wrong? Who was the unnamed person of interest who was being questioned by Officer Fields in chapters that were scattered throughout the story? It was obvious that the mysterious individual was one of the five friends but the author keeps the reader guessing by keeping that character's identity a secret until towards the end of the story.
The author added dimension to her realistic group of females by including chapters that were written in italics and took the reader back into the women's pasts. During these parts of the story we were given insights into events, interactions and relationships with other individuals who had played some part in the friend's lives both individually or whilst they were together as a group. We all have our own unique personal histories, events that have contributed to our characters and behaviour as adults, memories that we either want to remember or lock away in a tiny box and lose the key forever. The question was, was there any connection between events in the present day and the past?
The younger and older versions of each woman had their own unique personalities and character traits. I could easily empathise with Allie's feelings of being a outsider during some of her interactions with the other members of the Fierce Five but I can't say that I thought she was a very likeable individual as a adult. I thought that she really needed to remove the rose tinted glasses that she insisted on wearing and open her eyes to the truths hiding within certain situations.
Wow....just wow, I loved this intense, atmospheric thriller that hooks the reader in from the first page, keeps you captivated and hardly gives you a opportunity to draw in a breath at times as the story winds its way towards its unexpected,very ingenious, jaw dropping conclusion. I love books that are based in isolated locations especially where the characters are cut off from civilisation and have no way of summoning help. I really really enjoyed this extremely well written,cleverly plotted story and if possible would give it far more than five stars. Very very highly recommended by little old me.
As the temperature plummeted on both the inside and outside of the cabin, the women found themselves cut off from civilisation with no means of summoning help. But how and why had the reunion gone so badly and tragically wrong? Who was the unnamed person of interest who was being questioned by Officer Fields in chapters that were scattered throughout the story? It was obvious that the mysterious individual was one of the five friends but the author keeps the reader guessing by keeping that character's identity a secret until towards the end of the story.
The author added dimension to her realistic group of females by including chapters that were written in italics and took the reader back into the women's pasts. During these parts of the story we were given insights into events, interactions and relationships with other individuals who had played some part in the friend's lives both individually or whilst they were together as a group. We all have our own unique personal histories, events that have contributed to our characters and behaviour as adults, memories that we either want to remember or lock away in a tiny box and lose the key forever. The question was, was there any connection between events in the present day and the past?
The younger and older versions of each woman had their own unique personalities and character traits. I could easily empathise with Allie's feelings of being a outsider during some of her interactions with the other members of the Fierce Five but I can't say that I thought she was a very likeable individual as a adult. I thought that she really needed to remove the rose tinted glasses that she insisted on wearing and open her eyes to the truths hiding within certain situations.
Wow....just wow, I loved this intense, atmospheric thriller that hooks the reader in from the first page, keeps you captivated and hardly gives you a opportunity to draw in a breath at times as the story winds its way towards its unexpected,very ingenious, jaw dropping conclusion. I love books that are based in isolated locations especially where the characters are cut off from civilisation and have no way of summoning help. I really really enjoyed this extremely well written,cleverly plotted story and if possible would give it far more than five stars. Very very highly recommended by little old me.
September 14, 2021
It’s the season of chiller thrillers and you’ll probably be worried that the synopsis of this book sounds similar to something else that you’ve probably read recently. But I love a snow-set thriller with a mistrusting group of characters, so I was eager to pick this one up.
A combination of The Hunting Party and, well… any thriller set in the snow, We Are All Liars did feel heavily influenced by many of my favourite books. So I was constantly on the lookout for something that made it stand out. And it sure delivered that by the end.
Told between three timelines, one in the present as an unnamed narrator is questioned by the police about the death of one of the characters, this book does keep you guessing about what’s going on and who to trust. And I love how the title comes into play, because these characters are all liars. But which lie has sent somebody over the edge? Literally…
With a well-described setting and a concoction of emotions bubbling to the surface, there is so much tension in this book that takes you on an exhilarating ride of unpredictability. However, because it is obvious that something happened in the past to cause these many conflicts, it did take me a while to warm to the characters.
They all seemed to hate each other and their weekend retreat felt unbelievable because of this, so I didn’t find it very convincing at the start. But when the reasons for all of this mistrust and resentment are revealed, I soon began to understand the relationships better and quickly got back into the story.
The twist is well worth sticking around for, too. It’s hard for books to impress me with a twist ending these days after so many thrillers, but I loved the originality to this one, and I couldn’t predict how things would work out at all.
If you love a murder mystery, especially one with freezing cold temperatures, this is definitely a book worth checking out.
A combination of The Hunting Party and, well… any thriller set in the snow, We Are All Liars did feel heavily influenced by many of my favourite books. So I was constantly on the lookout for something that made it stand out. And it sure delivered that by the end.
Told between three timelines, one in the present as an unnamed narrator is questioned by the police about the death of one of the characters, this book does keep you guessing about what’s going on and who to trust. And I love how the title comes into play, because these characters are all liars. But which lie has sent somebody over the edge? Literally…
With a well-described setting and a concoction of emotions bubbling to the surface, there is so much tension in this book that takes you on an exhilarating ride of unpredictability. However, because it is obvious that something happened in the past to cause these many conflicts, it did take me a while to warm to the characters.
They all seemed to hate each other and their weekend retreat felt unbelievable because of this, so I didn’t find it very convincing at the start. But when the reasons for all of this mistrust and resentment are revealed, I soon began to understand the relationships better and quickly got back into the story.
The twist is well worth sticking around for, too. It’s hard for books to impress me with a twist ending these days after so many thrillers, but I loved the originality to this one, and I couldn’t predict how things would work out at all.
If you love a murder mystery, especially one with freezing cold temperatures, this is definitely a book worth checking out.
October 10, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and Orion for my copy of this book for review and my place on the blog tour.
This one intrigued me from the start - the idea of a group of friends with a whole host of secrets between them. I couldn't wait to read about Allie, Gail, Diana, Stacey and Emily - young women in their thirties whose lives have gone in different directions, but who are bound by their shared past.
When Gail invites the friends to her Scottish cabin for her birthday celebrations, they envisage a chance to catch up and spend some time together. They don't, however, foresee the storm that puts them in peril and pits them against each other for survival...
As expected, this is a tense and exciting thriller. The twists and uncovered secrets keep coming and the reader - like Allie, the main narrator - is never quite sure who to trust. The plotting is cleverly paced, although the second half of the book definitely steps up a gear and is more engaging. There is no way I could have predicted the ending - but I'm not sure how I feel about it even now!
The setting of a remote Scottish cabin on a mountain is well chosen - especially when it becomes cut off by the storm and the reader is thrown into a Christie-esque 'And Then There Were None' situation. There's real danger in the brutal conditions and it kept me turning the pages to see how it ended.
The characters are mostly quite unlikeable, but I think that is intentional and important to the story. My biggest issue is why on earth this group would choose to stick together given their traumatic pasts and the fact they don't seem to like each other very much. It works for the story but in real life I'd have wanted to be as far away from the Fierce Five's toxic friendship as possible!
I'd recommend this tense and twisty thriller for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware. This is my first book by Carys Jones and I'd be interested to read more. Overall, it is an engaging and lively read about a circle of friends bound together for all the worst reasons.
This one intrigued me from the start - the idea of a group of friends with a whole host of secrets between them. I couldn't wait to read about Allie, Gail, Diana, Stacey and Emily - young women in their thirties whose lives have gone in different directions, but who are bound by their shared past.
When Gail invites the friends to her Scottish cabin for her birthday celebrations, they envisage a chance to catch up and spend some time together. They don't, however, foresee the storm that puts them in peril and pits them against each other for survival...
As expected, this is a tense and exciting thriller. The twists and uncovered secrets keep coming and the reader - like Allie, the main narrator - is never quite sure who to trust. The plotting is cleverly paced, although the second half of the book definitely steps up a gear and is more engaging. There is no way I could have predicted the ending - but I'm not sure how I feel about it even now!
The setting of a remote Scottish cabin on a mountain is well chosen - especially when it becomes cut off by the storm and the reader is thrown into a Christie-esque 'And Then There Were None' situation. There's real danger in the brutal conditions and it kept me turning the pages to see how it ended.
The characters are mostly quite unlikeable, but I think that is intentional and important to the story. My biggest issue is why on earth this group would choose to stick together given their traumatic pasts and the fact they don't seem to like each other very much. It works for the story but in real life I'd have wanted to be as far away from the Fierce Five's toxic friendship as possible!
I'd recommend this tense and twisty thriller for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware. This is my first book by Carys Jones and I'd be interested to read more. Overall, it is an engaging and lively read about a circle of friends bound together for all the worst reasons.
October 1, 2021
They had been best friends since starting school and were jokingly known as The Fierce Five, they trusted each other implicitly BUT…….We are all liars!
Allie, Diana, Emily, Gail and Stacie had been really close friends while growing up and through university but then came jobs, boyfriends, husbands, growing apart and little white lies. The lies that became bigger secrets but secrets not shared between them all as in the past. They didn’t catch up and reply to each other like they did, friendships were fragile hanging by a thread.
Gail had invited everyone to her Scottish cabin to celebrate her birthday and a few days away together. While they are reminiscing over old times and old friendships are being rekindled with the atmosphere in the cabin defrosting, the snow storm outside the cabin is building with the electricity being knocked out. Emily can’t find her insulin which she desperately needs as she is diabetic. Allie and Diane set off down the mountain to get help but only Allie comes back after Diane falls and dies.
Little did Allie know that exhausted as she was, she was now going to start another fight for her life….
This book gripped me from the start and I totally enjoyed reading it. I read it in a day. This was a ‘now’ and ‘then’ book which I like as the ‘then’ gives some backstory to the book. I found I couldn’t put the book down as I wanted to find out what was going to happen next and the tension usually got ramped up even more! An interesting ending which caught me out and put one of the girls in a new light for me and made me think of her as a bit manipulative. It highlighted the seriousness of Diabetes which some people may not be aware of but my mum has suffered with this and it can be really bad, not an easy condition to manage. It was well covered in this story so I applaud Carys for that.
Allie, Diana, Emily, Gail and Stacie had been really close friends while growing up and through university but then came jobs, boyfriends, husbands, growing apart and little white lies. The lies that became bigger secrets but secrets not shared between them all as in the past. They didn’t catch up and reply to each other like they did, friendships were fragile hanging by a thread.
Gail had invited everyone to her Scottish cabin to celebrate her birthday and a few days away together. While they are reminiscing over old times and old friendships are being rekindled with the atmosphere in the cabin defrosting, the snow storm outside the cabin is building with the electricity being knocked out. Emily can’t find her insulin which she desperately needs as she is diabetic. Allie and Diane set off down the mountain to get help but only Allie comes back after Diane falls and dies.
Little did Allie know that exhausted as she was, she was now going to start another fight for her life….
This book gripped me from the start and I totally enjoyed reading it. I read it in a day. This was a ‘now’ and ‘then’ book which I like as the ‘then’ gives some backstory to the book. I found I couldn’t put the book down as I wanted to find out what was going to happen next and the tension usually got ramped up even more! An interesting ending which caught me out and put one of the girls in a new light for me and made me think of her as a bit manipulative. It highlighted the seriousness of Diabetes which some people may not be aware of but my mum has suffered with this and it can be really bad, not an easy condition to manage. It was well covered in this story so I applaud Carys for that.
August 23, 2021
I received an ARC e-book copy of ‘We Are All Liars’ by Carys Jones through NetGalley. Thank you to @Orionbooks for approving my request, I am grateful to be able to have read this advance copy. The expected publishing date is 30/09/2021.
Wow!!!! I can’t quite believe what I have just read, this book was amazing.
This book is set around a Scottish Highlands cabin, where five women who have been friends since they were children are gathering to celebrate one of their thirty-fifth birthdays.
When they were growing up, they called themselves the ‘Fierce Five’ and even though life has pulled them apart a little they still see themselves as best of friends.
Once everyone has arrived, they start their celebrations, but a heavy snowstorm is set to ruin their fun evening.
The power is struck out, and from that point a string of disastrous and shocking events follows.
Will they survive the storm and what secrets will be revealed?
This is the first book I have read from the author Carys Jones, although I have had ‘The List’ on my bookshelf for a while. When I saw ‘We Are All Liars’ on NetGalley I just had to put my request in, and I am really glad I did.
I found the beginning a little confusing, I’m not sure if it was to do with the sudden change in chapters between present and past narrations or if I was just too wrapped in trying to work out what had happened in the past before the story had even begun.
Once I had settled into the story it soon had me hooked, and there wasn’t a moment to breathe as more revelations and incidents occurred.
I will certainly be reading more from Carys Jones as I was completely blown away by this book.
Overall, a dark, intense, non-stop thriller which shows how even the best of friends can have hidden secrets that can threaten to change their lives for ever.
Wow!!!! I can’t quite believe what I have just read, this book was amazing.
This book is set around a Scottish Highlands cabin, where five women who have been friends since they were children are gathering to celebrate one of their thirty-fifth birthdays.
When they were growing up, they called themselves the ‘Fierce Five’ and even though life has pulled them apart a little they still see themselves as best of friends.
Once everyone has arrived, they start their celebrations, but a heavy snowstorm is set to ruin their fun evening.
The power is struck out, and from that point a string of disastrous and shocking events follows.
Will they survive the storm and what secrets will be revealed?
This is the first book I have read from the author Carys Jones, although I have had ‘The List’ on my bookshelf for a while. When I saw ‘We Are All Liars’ on NetGalley I just had to put my request in, and I am really glad I did.
I found the beginning a little confusing, I’m not sure if it was to do with the sudden change in chapters between present and past narrations or if I was just too wrapped in trying to work out what had happened in the past before the story had even begun.
Once I had settled into the story it soon had me hooked, and there wasn’t a moment to breathe as more revelations and incidents occurred.
I will certainly be reading more from Carys Jones as I was completely blown away by this book.
Overall, a dark, intense, non-stop thriller which shows how even the best of friends can have hidden secrets that can threaten to change their lives for ever.
September 27, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up due to the bonkers factor.
I don't think the author would appreciate me calling her book a bit bonkers but - well, it kinda is! It's a bit OTT in places, a bit implausible, but also, at the same time, one heck of a wild ride.
Five forever friends who have become a bit estranged of late reunite for a birthday. In a remote cabin. With a storm on the way. Throw in long standing secrets and lies and, oh dear... what could possible go wrong...?
A lot as it happens. And most of it quite devastating. As the secrets and lies which are more than hinted at for quite a while before they are divulged are, well, not pretty! And have rather nasty aftershocks for most of our cast.
This was one of those books where I had to make myself a cast list and also write notes. There are a lot of flashbacks which did confuse me initially until I started listing. It also escalates quite quickly and rather intensely and that's when my eyes started rolling a bit. I know long seated issues get more intense with time but I wasn't wholly convinced. That said, it did hold my attention and got on with itself very well and delivered quite a clever ending. Not what I was expecting at all...
Characters skirted the boundary of being caricatures and, as already mentioned, I wasn't wholly convinced by their escalation. I know the relationship between them was on the wane already but boy did things get dark very very quickly...
All in all, a solid read that I did enjoy albeit with a pinch of salt. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
I don't think the author would appreciate me calling her book a bit bonkers but - well, it kinda is! It's a bit OTT in places, a bit implausible, but also, at the same time, one heck of a wild ride.
Five forever friends who have become a bit estranged of late reunite for a birthday. In a remote cabin. With a storm on the way. Throw in long standing secrets and lies and, oh dear... what could possible go wrong...?
A lot as it happens. And most of it quite devastating. As the secrets and lies which are more than hinted at for quite a while before they are divulged are, well, not pretty! And have rather nasty aftershocks for most of our cast.
This was one of those books where I had to make myself a cast list and also write notes. There are a lot of flashbacks which did confuse me initially until I started listing. It also escalates quite quickly and rather intensely and that's when my eyes started rolling a bit. I know long seated issues get more intense with time but I wasn't wholly convinced. That said, it did hold my attention and got on with itself very well and delivered quite a clever ending. Not what I was expecting at all...
Characters skirted the boundary of being caricatures and, as already mentioned, I wasn't wholly convinced by their escalation. I know the relationship between them was on the wane already but boy did things get dark very very quickly...
All in all, a solid read that I did enjoy albeit with a pinch of salt. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
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