It took me a while before I got into this book. It is told in two timelines, the now, when the family reunites 25 years later in Greece for Richard’s funeral and the ‘then’ , when teenagers Lex and Zoe get thrown together for the wedding.

On the day of the wedding Abigail disappears and is never seen again. What happened to her, who is the culprit or has she just disappeared? What are Lex and Zoe not saying?

A well written story, with some interesting twists that I was not expecting. Loved the location and description of the area. Fab summer read or for whenever you fancy being transferred to sunny Greece.

I usually love a thriller set between then and now buy this one didn't really do it for me unfortunately. I felt like it took quite a while to start and was pretty stale paced from then on.

A slow paced read .
Zoe and Lex return to the family home on a Greek island , they haven’t seen each other for twenty five years.
What happened to make them become estranged ?
I really wanted to enjoy this story but it was too slow for me and I didn’t get invested in the characters either .
Thanks. To NetGalley and Michael Joseph , Penguin Random House .

I found "The Liars" to be quite slow-paced, which made it difficult to maintain my interest. Although I did manage to finish it and it concluded well, the pace was just too slow for my liking.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

The book tells the story of what happened twenty five years ago to three teenagers and current day events. Each chapter tells you if it’s Then, or Now. It’s well written, with believable characters, I just didn’t care for them. I so wanted to enjoy it, but I found I wasn’t invested in them, and it took me way too long to get through the book. It does have a satisfying ending and I am sure it will appeal to other readers. Thank you #netgalley

A story of teenage angst and how the smallest of problems are magnified at that age but when one girl disappears without trace suddenly the nightmares become all too real. Based on a small idyllic island in Greece, Zoe’s mother has begun a relationship with Richard who owns a delightful property called Calliope. His daughter Lex, is just a few months older than Zoe but the gulf in their maturity is vast. However, as time goes on they begin un uneasy relationship but when Abigail, an old family friend arrives the dynamic shifts. The story alternates between the past, twenty five years earlier and the present time when the girls are now grown up with daughters of their own. A slow build that doesn’t really have huge twists or shocks as the reader is aware of the main point of the story from early on. The exact details are gradually revealed with a satisfying conclusion.

This book was so much more than I thought it would be
Complex characters and relationships and the agony that can be being 15

‘The Liars’ by Katherine Fleet is an atmospheric sun-drenched thriller set across dual timelines on a gorgeous Greek island full of dark secrets and long-buried lies. Reunited on Eos after 25 years of estrangement for a funeral, step-sisters Zoe and Lex find themselves back at the scene of their happiest yet most tragic summer… and chapters alternate between the present and that simmeringly tense time when three teenage girls became two.

The book has strong themes of friendship, rivalry and guilt, reminding the reader that the past will always find a way to catch up with you and eventually lies will rise to the surface. The scenes set in the past are painfully accurate about the insecurities of fifteen year old girls and the awful feeling of not wanting to be rejected. They also contain an abundance of contemporaneous references which made me reminisce (£50 Levi jeans! Alcopops! Anti-drug education in PSHE). The way both girls have daughters in the present chapters, bringing a new perspective, works well - and Lex’s daughter Cleo especially is a driving force of the plot.

I found the book addictive even if a bit slow at times, and definitely agree with the observation towards the start of the novel that fifteen is a dangerous age! I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I would have hoped, but couldn’t stop reading.

Overall, giving this 3.5 stars and recommending as a beach read for fans of slow burn, nostalgic thrillers.

I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Michael Joseph, Penguin via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was invited to read this and the concept looked intriguing. I'm really happy I read it because it was a great thriller.

It had me hooked from the start and held my attention throughout. The girls were interesting and relatable and the age of 15 is described so well. Not kids but not women and of course, the cruel words that a teenager can say but not quite mean.

I highly recommend this book especially if you're looking for a beach read as it is set on a Greek island and made me wish for a nice long vacation.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the e-ARC! I'm looking forward to reading more by Katerine Fleet.

Lex and Zoe, both fifteen, first met on the Greek island of Eos twenty five years ago, brought together by the coupling of their parents, Lex's dad Richard and Zoe's mum Marilyn, staying at Richard's holiday home, Calliope. Marilyn announces they are getting married and the girls, who have started to bond, accept they will be stepsisters. They spend the summer with Lex showing Zoe round the island including the mysterious Circe Pool which is deemed to have magical qualities. Abigail, the fifteen year old daughter of Lex's godmother, Penny is annoying to many people and follows Lex round like a puppy, on the night of the wedding Abigail disappears, only the girls know what really happened and they swear to keep it secret. Fast forward to the present day and the girls, now with daughters of their own, are reunited on the island for Richard's funeral. Will being back here dredge up the memories of that summer and what will happen if their lies are revealed?

The Liars is a dual timeline, told by Zoe in alternate chapters of Now and Then, telling the story of what happened all those years ago and, even though they haven't seen each other since that summer, up until now, how it has defined their lives and never really been far from their minds and they are determined that nobody can find out. This is the authors debut novel and, even though it's a slow burn, she builds up the atmospheric mystery of the story with the vivid descriptions of the island and it was all worth it for that final reveal. I wasn't invested in any of the characters, I especially didn't like sleazy Liam, who even in the present day didn't seem any nicer. This was an intriguing tale of families and complex dynamics in a beautiful Greek setting that is definitely worth a read.

I'd like to thank Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and Netgalley for inviting me to read this book, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.

If you have a week (or two) planned on a sun lounger, run to your nearest book shop and buy this atmospheric, tense and well written novel. (To be honest, if you are planning a weekend on the sofa - this is also for you.)
Set on a small Greek island over two time frames, Katherine Fleet's writing literally takes you there, both in 2024 and twenty five years before. The heat, the scenery, the 'pinkness', the food, the myths, and the sea - it is all there. This is mostly Zoe's story, outlining a trip to Eos for her mother's wedding, where she meets her new step sister. The two girls developing relationship is at the heart of the tale and made the book for me. I love a complex girlfriend dynamic. Twenty five years later they are back for Zoe's step father's funeral. Both girls have avoided the island since the wedding and it's aftermath, and the memories and fear of someone finding out what happened last time they were there is the main focuis of the plot.
I really enjoyed the book and Fleet's writing. Highly recommended.

First time reading #KatherineFleet and #TheLiars didn’t disappoint. I loved it!
A story about secrets, lies, memories, family and guilt. Told in two timelines past and present, slowly building the tension and completely drawing you into the story. With complex relationships and family dynamics, intriguing storyline and well written characters. I loved the beautiful Greek Island setting with enticing descriptions.
Overall, an enjoyable read. The suspense and mystery was just brilliantly written. I couldn’t put this book down. Definitely recommend if you enjoy this genre.
With thanks to #NetGallery @michaeljbooks #MichaelJoseph #penguinRandomHouse for an arc of #TheLiars in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 15 August 2024.

First of all I will start by saying thankyou to @netgalley , @michaeljbooks , @penguinrandomhouse for sending me a copy of this book for my honest review.

And honesty is what I’m going to go with straight away, half way through this book I started to not be bothered about who had done what to whom.

I felt that it started off as a slow burner which I don’t think helped as it didn’t draw my focus straight away. Even once the ending was revealed I wasn’t really fused for it, it did however tie things up nicely. I just feel like there was a whole chunk in the middle that could have been missed out and it would have all still made sense and maybe grabbed my attention a bit more.

I did like the way that the chapters went from then to now which I found easy to follow and the author did paint a great picture of Greece. I just however didn’t fell like this book was for me. I enjoyed their writing style I just didn’t gel with this particular story line.

This was a slow paced read focusing on two different time periods, now and then which is 25 years ago on the Greek island of Eos.
I found it a bit too slow paced for me but I'm glad I finished it as I enjoyed the ending. I could picture the house and the island perfectly, great descriptions.
I'll be interested to see what this author writes next as this was her debut. .
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy.

To be brutally honest with you, I kind of stopped caring about who did what to whom about half way through this book. It probably didn't help that I also didn't really care for any of the characters.
We start in the past when Zoe and Lex are forced together as step-sisters by the pairing of their mum Penny and dad Richard respectively. Chalk and cheese but they try and rub along best they can. Up to a point.
We follow them during that first summer together as Zoe starts to try and fit into Lex's world. Meet her friends and prepare for the wedding. But something horrible happens on the night of the wedding. Abigail, the daughter of Lex's mum's friend, disappears.
Fast forward 25 years and the two, now estranged, step-sisters reconnect back in Greece for Richard's funeral. The two of them not having spoken in years. It's the 25th anniversary of the disappearance of Abigail, and her brother is wanting to mark the occasion, and is also still desperate for the truth. Many of the other players who were around back then come over for the funeral, and the policeman who failed to get to the truth back then is also still around.
Bit convoluted and a very slow burn initially. As already mentioned this really didn't help me engage with the book, the story or the characters. It took too long to get going and by that time I had kind of stopped caring.
Even the truth, when it all eventually came out, wasn't enough to reel me back in or reward me for my endeavours. That said, it did all wrap up nicely. But I just didn't care, sorry. I guess it just wasn't the book for me.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Some parts were good some not so good and I didn't love the ending overall a little bit slow for me but it won't put me off other books by the author

A very slow moving story which was set across 2 time periods, now and 25 years ago on a Greek island. Loved the references to Greek mythology and really wanted the story to speed up a lot of the time, but I think it was worth it for the ending.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

The Liars is a slow burn of a book but worked really well.
Zoe and Lex are thrown together after Zoe’s mum and Lex’s dad decide to marry. They all meet at Lex’s dad’s villa in Eos, Lex is older than Zoe and although they get on they are very different people. Lex’s god mother is coming to the wedding ringing along her daughter Abigail, there is rivalry between her and Zoe as both try to get Lex’s attention until everything gets out of hand on the wedding day night and Abigail is nowhere to be found or is she?
This was a slow burn that worked well, I enjoyed the then and now alternate chapters, then was twenty five years ago with everything leading up to the wedding and the disappearance of Abigail and now is Zoe and Lex coming together for the first time since then for Lex’s dads funeral. I enjoyed the setting and the characters and was a great beach read.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

I gave this four stars because I thought it was a page turner and I did enjoy the story, however I did feel that the pace slowed down at the end and I was left a little disappointed. It’s a story told “Now” and “Then” which is always an enjoyable read for me. We are on a small Greek Island where Lex’s father has died . He was married to Zoe’s mother . Everyone has come together for the funeral . Lex and Zoe became inseparable when their parents married 25 years ago , but an incident involving a third girl going missing led to secrets and lies. They haven’t seen each other in 25 years and all the secrets are coming to the surface again. There is an underlying tension throughout the story as to what happened and who knows.There is guilt and superstition which leads to an uneasy atmosphere. There is no shock ending but there is a conclusion. Worth a read .

Set on a small Greek island, Zoe and Lex meet when they are 15 and about to become step-sisters. When a 3rd girl arrives on the iisland with her family the dynamic changes and when she disappears on the night of the wedding it is assumed that she has drowned. Thirty years later Zoe and Lex are reunited for their father’s funeral but the secret that has been buried for so long threatens their future.

Set over two timeframes this book slowly reveals the secrets of what happened that night. I enjoyed getting to know the characters even if they weren’t particularly likeable.