The book opens with the four adult children discussing the disappearance of their beloved mother, Joy Delaney. While they are naturally concerned, none of them wants to report her missing. As the days pass, the family history and events leading up to her disappearance are revealed. Joy and her husband Stan seem to be the perfect couple, devoted to one another and their children; recently retired from their role as owners and coaches at their tennis school and trying to navigate this new normal. But as expected not everything is perfect within this family. They have their issues, their children are all facing their own problems and life choices and then a mysterious stranger appears at their door and further disrupts their lives. I found this difficult to put down - all the dysfunction just pulled me right in and played into all of my suspicions.

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty is a perfect fit for readers who enjoy complex, character-driven family dramas that explore the intricate web of relationships, secrets, and lies within a seemingly perfect family, with a dash of mystery and suspense that will keep them guessing until the very end.

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Look, I have to be honest regarding this book. Line Moriarty is hands-down, 110% my favorite modern author, period. Unfortunately, I couldn't connect to this book at all. It was slow, far too tennis-centric, and overall not my cup of tea. Writing that literally pains me, because I typically believe she can do no wrong. I don't know if she had an off day or what, but I just cannot find much to say about this one. That said, I have complete faith her next book will make this one easy to overlook, one her true fans will be willing to forgive.

While different from her more well known works, Apples Never Fall is one of Liane Moriarty's best. With characters you'll connect with and a deep, unforgettable story, this is one to pick up immediately!

I love Liane Moriarty so I was so excited when this book came out. Unfortunately this is probably my least favorite of her books. I was so disappointed in this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book. All opinions are my own.

Classically Liane Moriarty, with twists, switching points of view, and a family drama with nuance and complexity. Read it in over a few sittings and found it hard to put down! Great read for these winter months when the weather keeps you indoors; bundle up and get cozy, and enjoy this read.

What happened to the matriarch of the family who sent a garbled text amd then disappeared off the grid? The characters and plot twists we expect from Liane Moriarty.

This is everything I've come to expect and love from a Liane Moriarty book - many different characters with many points of view, quirkiness, a mystery, tension, family drama and a few giggles too. I was hooked into this pretty quickly. Enjoy!

Such as excellent premise to have a mystery of a missing mother, where four adult children begin to express their unique perspectives of growing up in the same household. With a tennis-heavy emphasis in their daily lives, we see the beauty of Liane Moriarty's writing who splendidly parallels the children to their tennis abilities. As a reader who is not a tennis player or watcher, it is an easy read to make the comparisons. Mysteries are always great to keep the momentum of a plot, which remains true in this case as well. However, the big reveal was a bit of a let down in comparison to her other books. Still enjoyable to read, and our library will definitely add it to the collection.

This book took a very long time to get into. After reading half of the book, I stopped. Not every book is for everyone, but this one just didn't do it for me. There was too much information about the family and not enough about the disappearance.

This is another great Liane Moriarty book and I really enjoyed it. I think it was better as an audiobook, but it was still very good!

A multi-layered family drama that revolves around a family deeply involved in the world of tennis. Secrets, jealousy and family wounds make for a clever plot.

This is my first book by Liane Moriarty and I really, really enjoyed her writing style. She captured me with the tale of this family and their two generations. I was intrigued with the parents past and present as well as the children. The underlying mystery to the entire plot had me hooked until the very end. I was convinced I knew what happened and then the plot twist came and I was really surprised. To be honest the twist was very refreshing. Especially with a lot of the newer releases I have read recently it was a very nice palate cleanse for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I enjoyed Apples Never Fall. Liane Moriarty always tells a good story!

The Delaneys are fixtures in their community. The parents, Stan and Joy, are the envy of all of their friends. They’re killers on the tennis court, and off it their chemistry is palpable. But after fifty years of marriage, they’ve finally sold their famed tennis academy and are ready to start what should be the golden years of their lives. So why are Stan and Joy so miserable?

The four Delaney children—Amy, Logan, Troy, and Brooke—were tennis stars in their own right, yet as their father will tell you, none of them had what it took to go all the way. But that’s okay, now that they’re all successful grown-ups and there is the wonderful possibility of grandchildren on the horizon.

One night a stranger named Savannah knocks on Stan and Joy’s door, bleeding after a fight with her boyfriend. The Delaneys are more than happy to give her the small kindness she sorely needs. If only that was all she wanted.

Later, when Joy goes missing, and Savannah is nowhere to be found, the police question the one person who remains: Stan. But for someone who claims to be innocent, he, like many spouses, seems to have a lot to hide. Two of the Delaney children think their father is innocent, two are not so sure—but as the two sides square off against each other in perhaps their biggest match ever, all of the Delaneys will start to reexamine their shared family history in a very new light.

Apples never fall looks at the ways we hurt each other and love each other deeply. In families of origin and families of choice.

I always enjoy Liane Moriarty's books and this one did not disappoint. I flew through this book, continually wondering what would happen next in this unusual plot. This sports-related, family drama was intriguing and I liked the depth explored in each character.

The Delaneys are fixtures in their Australian community. The parents, Stan and Joy, are killers on the tennis court, and off it their chemistry is palpable. But after fifty years of marriage, they’ve finally sold their famed tennis academy and are ready to start what should be the golden years of their lives. If only they had grandchildren.

One night, a stranger named Savannah knocks on Stan and Joy’s door, bleeding after a fight with her boyfriend. The Delaneys are more than happy to welcome them into their home, and she becomes a permanent guest. When Joy goes missing on Valentine’s Day and Savannah is nowhere to be found, the four Delaney children—Amy, Logan, Troy, and Brooke—debate whether to report their mother’s disappearance to police, because it would implicate their father. For someone who claims to be innocent, Stan seems to have a lot to hide.

“That was the secret of a happy marriage: step away from the rage.” Liane Moriarty, Apples Never Fall

Liane Moriarty’s novels are hit or miss with me, What Alice Forgot (3 stars), The Husband’s Secret (4 stars), Big Little Lies (5 stars), and this one was a miss. Apples Never Fall neither captured nor kept my attention. It was far too long—historical fiction kind of long—and too much of the plot went down rabbit trails that seemed to go nowhere. The characters were well developed, but all were unlikeable. The book was a slow burn, but not in a good way. It was a slog; tedious and boring, and the constant tennis references were tiresome. I finished the book, but I can’t recommend it. I was so disengaged in the story, I can’t even remember the ending. Many other reviewers enjoyed this book, but it only earned 3 stars from this one.

Published Date: September 2021
Genre: Psychological suspense
Read-alikes: Unraveling Oliver: by Liz Nugent, Under the Water by Paul Pen, Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger, Shelter by Catherine Jinks

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of the book.

While Moriarty has always been one of my favorite authors, I have to say this one fell short for me. While the family dynamics were interesting, The plot moved incredibly slow, and while there were a few bombshells dropped throughout the course of the story, the overall mystery of the mother's disappearance was incredibly underwhelming.

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for review. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty follows the story of a married couple in the twilight years of their marriage and career. What happens next when there is still life to live, but life is passing you by? Liane Moriarty answers this question with her signature twist.