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daniofthewood's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Confinement, Gaslighting, Stalking, Kidnapping, Ableism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Death, and Infidelity
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child death, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Blood, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, and Drug use
sophieamreacher's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It had me intrigued but the writing style made me quite detached from the characters and it felt a bit unrealistic.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, Addiction, Bullying, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Grief, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Violence, and Ableism
kgonzalez22's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Overall, the book was captivating and had a few turns that I was not expecting.
The pace, though, almost felt stuck at times. It felt important as it felt like we were really a part of the investigation into what happened but I would have liked if there was more time spent with the characters before the book was over - to really close up some loose ends.
Despite of this, the twists, turns, and cliffhangers made this a fun read. I’d recommend for someone who likes thrillers and who may prefer things that are insinuated (can be more creative with the imagination) rather than explicitly laid out for them.
The pace, though, almost felt stuck at times. It felt important as it felt like we were really a part of the investigation into what happened but I would have liked if there was more time spent with the characters before the book was over - to really close up some loose ends.
Despite of this, the twists, turns, and cliffhangers made this a fun read. I’d recommend for someone who likes thrillers and who may prefer things that are insinuated (can be more creative with the imagination) rather than explicitly laid out for them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Drug use, Suicide, and Rape
quietlex's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I love Shari Lapena’s work, despite every book following the same plot line over and over. I didn’t see Avery hiding out in Marian’s basement, so that was a fun twist. Everything else was fairly predictable, though it was a fun read. What WASNT fun was the ending. I can’t remember if Lapena has ended a book so abruptly before with no resolution. I was flipping through the pages looking for the next chapter, or maybe a sneak peek at the next book. So frustrating! I literally closed the book with a “wtf!” All in all, I enjoyed reading this one, but I wouldn’t recommend it compared to her others. She always follows the same tropes, so you know what to expect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Self harm, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Child death, Blood, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Cursing, Drug use, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Murder
michelle_my_belle's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I thoroughly enjoyed the first half to 3/4 of this book. It kept me on my toes. But the last chunk kind of fell flat. I also was really bothered by how neurodivergence was portrayed so negatively, specifically ADHD and autism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Violence, Infidelity, Ableism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Death, Grief, and Kidnapping
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Drug use
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
A young girl goes missing and the neighborhood's secrets all come out. But who can you trust to tell the truth?
The most of characters are unbearable! It was a hard book to finish. But by the time it's revealed what's going on and becomes completely terrible, I was at 72%. So I finished it. But if I'd known where it was going I would have DNF'd the book.
The narration was pretty good though.
The most of characters are unbearable! It was a hard book to finish. But by the time it's revealed what's going on and becomes completely terrible, I was at 72%. So I finished it. But if I'd known where it was going I would have DNF'd the book.
The narration was pretty good though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity
Minor: Drug use
mamawantsbooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Death, Confinement, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Drug use, Gaslighting, and Religious bigotry
shelfofunread's review against another edition
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Shari Lapena has gained a reputation for being one of the queens of suburban thriller and her latest novel, Everyone Here is Lying, certainly cements that. All of the ingredients for top-class domestic suspense are here: a quiet and well-to-do residential neighbourhood, a series of seemingly respectable families, and more secrets and lies than you can shake a stick at.
Stanhope is a quiet suburban neighbourhood. The sort of place that people choose to live in because it’s a safe place to raise their kids. So when nine-year-old Avery Wooler goes missing, it shocks the neighbourhood to its core. For Avery’s parents, Erin and William, the disappearance of their daughter brings some unwelcome home truths to life. Avery was a challenging kid and William had lost his temper with her several times. Oh, and it turns out William was having an affair with one of their neighbours. As suspicion mounts and witnesses come forward with information, the respectable façade of Stanhope is gradually lifted, revealing an abundance of dark secrets and deadly lies underneath.
Anyone who has read one of Shari’s previous books will know what to expect from Everyone Here is Lying. Minimalist prose and end-of-chapter cliff-hangers keep the pages turning whilst plenty of twists and revelations keep the stakes high. Slipping down with the ease of a cocktail on the beach, this is perfect poolside reading, although it should be noted that the book does explore several dark themes. Although there is no graphic detail, content warnings should be noted for the exploration of themes of domestic violence, infidelity, and child abuse, as well as some brief mentions of drug use.
Shari is also an absolute genius at crafting complex characters who, although flawed, retain the reader’s empathy. Although I didn’t many like the characters in Everyone Here is Lying, I did understand their reasoning – however flawed or twisted that might be – and I came to empathise with several of them as their lives come under such intense scrutiny (and, inevitably, fall apart as a result). Lapena writes dysfunctional families with great skill and really cranks up the tension as petty differences between neighbours, festering jealousies, and long-held doubts all rise to the surface under the spotlight of the police investigation into Avery’s disappearance.
That said, anyone looking for intensive character development and backstories isn’t going to find that here. Although there are several narrative perspectives in Everyone Here is Lying, deep-dives into character’s lives and motivations beyond the timeline of the immediate action aren’t what this book is about. This did leave me questioning one or two of the central characters as, without knowing more about them, their motivations for their actions felt a little flat.
I also felt that, although Lapena did an admirable job of highlighting the challenges and prejudices faced by parents of neurodiverse children, her depiction of the children themselves lacked the same level of nuance. Although I very much enjoyed the ending, there were some elements of one character’s behaviour that I didn’t fully believe given the supposed age of the person in question.
That said, and without giving away any spoilers, Everyone Here is Lying has several fantastic twists towards the end that I genuinely did not see coming. There will several ‘jaw-drop’ moments where the novel completely turned on its head and I suddenly saw previous events and conversations from a wholly different angle.
I saw another review (by @GirlWithThePinkSkiMask) on Goodreads that described this novel as ‘popcorn’ and I think that’s a really great way of putting it because, just like the aforementioned snack, once you start reading Everyone Here is Lying, you just won’t be able to stop! Yes, this isn’t the most ‘nutritional’ of reads but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing as long as you go in knowing what to expect. We all need those books in our lives that you can just pick up, relax with, and devour in a matter of days (or hours!). If you’re looking for an edge-of-your-seat suburban thriller with that ‘just-one-more-page’ quality, then Everyone Here is Lying should definitely make its way onto your TBR.
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https@//theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpress.com as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Stanhope is a quiet suburban neighbourhood. The sort of place that people choose to live in because it’s a safe place to raise their kids. So when nine-year-old Avery Wooler goes missing, it shocks the neighbourhood to its core. For Avery’s parents, Erin and William, the disappearance of their daughter brings some unwelcome home truths to life. Avery was a challenging kid and William had lost his temper with her several times. Oh, and it turns out William was having an affair with one of their neighbours. As suspicion mounts and witnesses come forward with information, the respectable façade of Stanhope is gradually lifted, revealing an abundance of dark secrets and deadly lies underneath.
Anyone who has read one of Shari’s previous books will know what to expect from Everyone Here is Lying. Minimalist prose and end-of-chapter cliff-hangers keep the pages turning whilst plenty of twists and revelations keep the stakes high. Slipping down with the ease of a cocktail on the beach, this is perfect poolside reading, although it should be noted that the book does explore several dark themes. Although there is no graphic detail, content warnings should be noted for the exploration of themes of domestic violence, infidelity, and child abuse, as well as some brief mentions of drug use.
Shari is also an absolute genius at crafting complex characters who, although flawed, retain the reader’s empathy. Although I didn’t many like the characters in Everyone Here is Lying, I did understand their reasoning – however flawed or twisted that might be – and I came to empathise with several of them as their lives come under such intense scrutiny (and, inevitably, fall apart as a result). Lapena writes dysfunctional families with great skill and really cranks up the tension as petty differences between neighbours, festering jealousies, and long-held doubts all rise to the surface under the spotlight of the police investigation into Avery’s disappearance.
That said, anyone looking for intensive character development and backstories isn’t going to find that here. Although there are several narrative perspectives in Everyone Here is Lying, deep-dives into character’s lives and motivations beyond the timeline of the immediate action aren’t what this book is about. This did leave me questioning one or two of the central characters as, without knowing more about them, their motivations for their actions felt a little flat.
I also felt that, although Lapena did an admirable job of highlighting the challenges and prejudices faced by parents of neurodiverse children, her depiction of the children themselves lacked the same level of nuance. Although I very much enjoyed the ending, there were some elements of one character’s behaviour that I didn’t fully believe given the supposed age of the person in question.
That said, and without giving away any spoilers, Everyone Here is Lying has several fantastic twists towards the end that I genuinely did not see coming. There will several ‘jaw-drop’ moments where the novel completely turned on its head and I suddenly saw previous events and conversations from a wholly different angle.
I saw another review (by @GirlWithThePinkSkiMask) on Goodreads that described this novel as ‘popcorn’ and I think that’s a really great way of putting it because, just like the aforementioned snack, once you start reading Everyone Here is Lying, you just won’t be able to stop! Yes, this isn’t the most ‘nutritional’ of reads but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing as long as you go in knowing what to expect. We all need those books in our lives that you can just pick up, relax with, and devour in a matter of days (or hours!). If you’re looking for an edge-of-your-seat suburban thriller with that ‘just-one-more-page’ quality, then Everyone Here is Lying should definitely make its way onto your TBR.
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https@//theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpress.com as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Kidnapping, and Infidelity
Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use
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