Stan and Joy Delaney are at loose ends. Their four adult children are all out living their own lives, and they've recently sold their tennis school. That might explain why Joy is delighted to have a stray waif to mother when a disheveled young woman suddenly appears on her doorstep. The young woman, Savannah, says she has been assaulted by her boyfriend and knocked on the Delaney's door because the house looked nice. Without a thought, Joy immediately takes Savannah in. Over the coming days, Savannah returns the favor of having a place to stay by preparing amazing, gourmet meals for the couple. When Joy suddenly goes missing, her children and the police go back in time to investigate events leading up to the disappearance. All four children have their own problems. Oldest son Troy has recently been left by his long-term girlfriend because he's too passive. The other son, Logan, is also separated from his wife but she has recently come back into his life to ask a big favor. Daughter Amy is something of a free spirit who is currently sharing a house with much younger housemates and flitting from job to job. Youngest daughter Brooke has her own physiotherapy practice, but her husband has also left and it's been hard for her to attract clients to her new business. All of the children have a complicated relationship with their parents, especially their father. He coached them all in tennis as well as taking on numerous students over the years. All of the children eventually gave up the game, and Stan's best student left him for another coach as just as success started building. Stan and Joy have also had a somewhat tumultuous relationship over the years, with Stan frequently walking out and staying away for frightening periods of time. Still, he surely couldn't be responsible for Joy's disappearance? The story goes back and forth between present time and the days surrounding when the mysterious Savannah turned up. I listened to an audiobook version read by Caroline Lee. Her narration was very good, if a bit squeaky when she wanted to convey disbelief. Overall, the story was very good and many clues were dropped throughout which were eventually explained satisfactorily. The only quibble I have is the tennis angle. It was way overboard, in my opinion! Tennis, tennis, tennis on every page and coloring every action. It all got to be a bit much. If you can overlook that, it was a very enjoyable book.

I enjoy Liane Moriarty and was excited to be able to listen to this one. I enjoyed the mystery of it and did not expect the ending to go the way it did or the reveal about Savannah. I don't want to say too much in my review I publish on Goodreads and my personal Facebook page because I know I have many friends anticipating this book. Also, it is the next pick for the adult book club I am in, so I am very much looking forward to fleshing it out more in discussion. Even though I am in a high school library, I may still buy this title as my teachers enjoy reading Liane's books. I enjoy the narrator and the way that she reads Joy's voice particularly. I felt like it brought so much more life to her character. The focus on the family as individual members and their dynamics was well done. I felt like all of the children were well developed and like I knew them as people, not just faceless characters in passing. I think part of that is they were diverse with quirks and flaws. They weren't idealized. But as much as I enjoyed the characters, the mystery was what made me eager to keep listening. I was really pretty unsure the whole time what happened to Joy. I had a few different theories. Following that story line and listening as evidence/circumstances were revealed is what really kept me hooked.

A similar review was posted to my Goodreads, and I will post more like a 1 sentence interest statement on my personal Facebook.

Liane Moriaty does it again! Apples Never Fall has layers and layers of family, marriage and relationship drama. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing and hungering for more. Don’t be intimidated by the number of pages because you will be so pulled in you will keep reading and reading and reading to get to the end.

This just wasn’t good. I’m so disappointed because I have really enjoyed Liane Moriarty’s earlier books (though also didn’t like her last one). This one just felt like nothing was happening and there were some questionable bits that did not need to be there, as they added nothing to the story (ie: one of the characters remembering those times they were too drunk to give consent, but that’s okay because it’s before consent “was a thing”).
Would not recommend.

How does competition affect a family? The Delaneys grew up playing tennis competitively. Their parents owned a tennis school and we’re consumed with it. They had one player who ended up world class. When the parents retire, they don’t know what to do with themselves. A stranger appears at their door. Everything changes.

Narrator Caroline Lee does a superb job building tension. Her character voices may not always be distinct, however, it is always obvious who is speaking. Her lovely voice is a pleasure.

I was thrilled to be chosen for this audiobook copy on #netgalley. The narrator, Caroline Lee, feels like an old friend as she has narrated many of the books I have read recently. She does a marvelous job here as in all the titles she reads.

This book is a family saga of Joe and Stan, who have run a tennis school and have coached all 4 of their kids as well as many others in competitive tennis. Six months after the school has closed and they have retired, Joe turns up missing and Stan is a suspect. After 50 years of marriage, could Stan have killed her? At least some of her children have thought so.

The book was just the right amount of suspense, humor and mystery to really draw you into the story. The characters are authentic and the pictures she paints of their lives are both relatable and full of life. The ending....well read it for yourself!

This is about Joy Delaney’s disappearance and her four adult children’s search to figure out what actually happened—and whether her husband, their father, Stan was behind it. A riveting family drama unfolds as the children reflect on their parents’ marriage, their childhoods, and their current lives as they attempt to figure out what happened to their mom.

I’ve read other Liane Moriarty books and this one is definitely in my top two favorites of her books. There was a lot I really liked about this one, for example the changing perspectives. With multiple narrators it kept the story fast paced and even though the timeline jumps around as well I found it easy to follow.

I also really liked Joy and Savannah’s characters. Savannah is a stranger that comes knocking on the Delaney’s door one night and ends up staying as a guest. I thought both women had pretty developed characters, which was enjoyable to watch unfold.

The pandemic reference took me out of the story somewhat—it seemed like it was trying a bit too hard to draw the story into what’s going on right now. If Moriarty made zero reference to COVID I don’t think the story would’ve suffered or lost anything at all.

That was just a very minor aspect though and if I could give this 4.5 stars I would. Overall this is definitely worth your time to read! I know it’s on the longer side but trust me when I say you’ll fly through it!

I enjoyed this audiobook, being that the narrator portrayed the characters perfectly in her narration! This novel by Liane Moriarty told a story about a family driven by the tennis world, with the parents running a tennis school,, to the children, now grown, with mediocre careers in tennis, to their parent’s dismay. Nevertheless, the siblings were successful in their own right. Each member of the Delaney family had their own distinct personal hangups and relationship issues, with each other and significant others. There was continuous family drama, past and present, which in the end plays out to a somewhat harmonious ending! Added to the mix, was a stranger from the past, who inserted herself into their lives, with an intent of settling a long past grievance against each member of the Delaney family.; But she does form a strange alliance with the Matriarch of the family though! This story is a take on family dynamics, with a little mystery thrown in and some dark humor!

I have read ALL of Liane Moriarty's books, as well as most of her sisters', but this is the first time I've listened to one on audio, so I was thrilled to be approved for her new one on NetGalley. And I was not disappointed, Apples Never Fall is an epic family drama and mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat.

This story is about the Delaney family. Stan and Joy Delaney have been married for over 50 years and started a tennis academy together. Their 4 children grew up on the tennis circuit and had various reactions to that lifestyle. Joy and Stan have now retired and are having trouble adjusting to so much free time, as one does, until a young woman named Savannah comes into their house after a traumatic experience and needs their help. She turns out to be like the daughter Joy always wished she had. However, when Joy goes missing, her children wonder about Savannah's motives, as well as their father's, and everyone seems to have their own theory on what happened.

I absolutely loved getting to know all these characters and untangling their dramatic twists. The audiobook narration by Caroline Lee was just perfect, her beautiful Australian accent really helped to set the scene for the story, and her way of stating some of the characters' thoughts and actions had me laughing out loud. Yes, it is a bit long, at 18 hours, but every minute of the story was fascinating! I think each of these characters could have had their own story, but to intertwine them all and have a complex mystery that literally ties up every last thread was just genius!

What a great audiobook! I love Australian accents so that made it especially fun. I have been a fan of Liane Moriarty for years but this is the first time I have listened to a book.
The family drama and the imperfect characters along with the mystery of where was their mother kept me from wanting to turn off the audio. Joy is the matriarch of a family with four grown children all of whom had played tennis growing up at the tennis school that their parents ran. Joy and her husband Stan are recently retired trying to figure out how to function in this new environment. On top of that, a young woman shows up who has been the victim of physical abuse. Joy and Stan take her in and try to help her straiten out her life. Savanah, the young woman, isn't welcomed by the siblings and is she all that she purports to be?
There's a lot going on with all their lives which keeps them apart and not always supportive of each other.

Liane Moriarty does it again! The Delaney family has their ups and downs like most families do. But murder? Is it possible? When Joy Delaney disappears after leaving an illegible text for her kids everyone starts to wonder. Stan and Joy were brought together by tennis, raised their kids on tennis and ran their own tennis club. They have now retired and no longer have tennis as the center of their world. Will they still have something to connect them to each other or was it always about tennis? Just when they think their lives are empty along comes Savannah who seems to need them unlike their grown children. Savannah cooks and cleans for them and seems too good to be true. After she appears the Delaney children start to experience some bumps in their lives. Brooke has appointments schedule for people who never show up. Logan gets accused of being inappropriate with a student. And I won't even mention Amy's brownies. Then Joy disappears. Who is Savannah really?

I enjoyed this book on audio and loved Caroline Lee's narration. There were many times I forgot it was only one person reading the book.

I loved the narrorated of this book! It took me back to Australia without having to travel there. This book has a lot of characters and it was sometimes hard to determine which character's backstory we were following. Though I tend to have problems following that with most audio books with many characters. This book is a slow burn!

First let me start with Laine Moriarty is one of my favorite authors. However, this book really dragged and was repetitive for the first half. Unlike others, I found the narration hard to follow, there wasn’t a distinct difference in a couple of the characters and I found myself wondering who was speaking. I believe this book would be better in print. Slow burn, but ultimately a good story dealing with sibling rivalry.

Thank you #NetGalley, #MacmillanAudio and #LianeMoriarty for the advance audiobook version for my honest review.

Having Caroline Lee read this new Liane Moriarty release is the secret ingredient in my book experience. This is, without a doubt, my favorite so far from the esteemed author. There are so many moving parts: tennis, marriage difficulties, sibling rivalry, revenge, cell phones, flirting, shopping, memoirs, and so much more. The least of which is the famous apple crumble. What is it that gives it that over the top taste that no other apple crumble can match? And you need four apples to make it --love the cover art. There are also four Delaney children. Hmmm! So much to unpack with this one. I love, love, love this one. The surprises kept popping up. Each time I thought we had reached the conclusion, up goes the curtain for another scene that perfectly complements and completes the prior narrative. If you can, listen to it. You will not be disappointed!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A great narrator who is perfect for this book. I always preferred listening to Lianne Moriarty's books because the narrator's accent help reminds you that this takes place in Australia.

Original review for the book itself:
My only complaint with the book is that the American cover version is dull compared to the British one.

The Delaney family's lives used to revolve around tennis. Joy and Stan used to run a tennis school, and all four of their children competed when they were young. Then time passed, and the children became adults who stopped playing, and the parents retired. During their dull retirement, a stranger knocks on their door running from an abusive boyfriend. Joy and Stan welcome her to their home, and she stays for six weeks. Much later, Joy goes missing, and Stan has some very suspicious scratch marks on his face.

This is more a character study than a murder mystery. Most of the story is told from Joy's perspective, and she's a delight. She tries very hard to keep her family together when their children are young, and when they're older, she listens to podcasts to understand their work or their physical problems. Towards the end, I loved her character so much that I didn't want her to be found dead.

The plot is quick, and everything comes together at the end. Things that you thought were written for character development had another reason. The other characters are complex people with complex emotions in the difficult positions they find themselves in when Stan is a suspect in Joy's possible murder. There is no easy way for people to deal with this situation as Stan and Joy are a package unit. This is the best work that Lianne Moriarty has written so far.

Review based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

I usually enjoy this author but I think this time the editors just let her run wild! So much back story and character development, which I usually insist upon, but Wow! They really let her run amok on this book. Women's fiction disguised as a mystery. I'll give it three stars because I did want to know how it ended and didn't wind up throwing it against the wall.

I was VERY excited to have the opportunity to listen to this audiobook, as I am a huge Liane Moriarty fan. As she always does, I was sucked into the story right away. She is obviously an incredible storyteller, and the narrator was quite good. I will say however this was not my favorite of her novels. It felt a little labored toward the end, could have been shorter, and I wasn't wholly satisfied with the end.
But, as she does so well keeping you surprised, amused, interested in her characters throughout, I enjoyed it overall.

I was thrilled to be approved for an advance listening copy of this book, and also excited to see that the narrator was Caroline Lee, who narrated the other Liane Moriarty books I've listened to previously. She gives the perfect voices to the entire Australian Delaney family and kept me completely invested in the story.

This is a sweeping family saga featuring Joy and Stan, who have been married for fifty years and have four adult children--Amy, Brooke, Troy, and Logan. The family's "claim to fame" is that they have all been competitive tennis players in the past and Stan and Joy ran a tennis school and coached. One day, Joy turns up missing and suspicion turns to Stan. Even the children wonder if he might be guilty. The tale is told from two main directions--in the past leading up to Joy going missing and the present-day going forward with the investigation into her whereabouts. A mysterious visitor named Savannah factors in heavily. Sprinkled throughout are moments from the distant past and the shaping of the Delaney family's lives.

I adore family sagas and this one absolutely did not disappoint. I don't have any knowledge or interest in tennis, but that doesn't matter at all. It's more the story of what has happened within their family and each of the siblings' lives. The characters are so well-drawn and full of life that I will honestly miss them--faults (ha tennis joke) and all--now that I'm finished with the book. Readers get a real sense of each of the Delaneys and Savannah and can both sympathize and empathize with them as various things are revealed.

There is humor throughout the story and Joy often reminded me of my mother-in-law with her stream of consciousness talking, and yet she also reminded me of myself and the things women take on as wives and mothers that we would never expect men to take on. The mystery of what happened to Joy compelled me to keep going to discover the answer, but overall the answer isn't as important as the journey to get there. I also loved the portrayal of a 50 year marriage with its ups and downs and even the mundane middle ground.

The ending of this book was a bit of a jaw-dropper because I was absolutely not expecting it, and yet it seemed so perfect to give closure to everything that happened.

Moriarty's books are unique and this one is no exception. It's a much more straightforward story than her last book (Nine Perfect Strangers) and I'm so glad for that. The combination of family drama with mystery, sprinkled with humor and touching moments is a winner.

Liane Moriarty is the queen of the slow burn. I found myself needing to ignore my family so I could figure out what the heck was going on is this book. And that ending!

This was really good, different & better than many of her other books, more layered and multi-faceted. I really enjoyed the complex mix of literary/family fiction couple with a bit of suspense and mystery.