I love a good neighbourhood thriller and this one does not disappoint. Shari Lapena gives us a long list of characters, oops I mean suspects, in this kidnapping case. Who kidnapped the popular local doctor's daughter? As we read on we learn the nice family doctor is not as nice as we thought and this quaint little cul-de-sac is not so quaint.

This is multi-perspective tale so the reader thinks they are getting the true story throughout the book but don't forget that Shari Lapena likes to write a manipulative tale. Take everything you read with a grain of salt. Learning about the secrets about the neighbourhood makes the book a fun romp and finding out who the kidnapper is satisfying.

My only negative was the abrupt ending. It was unsatisfying in my opinion but it would not discourage me from recommending this book. Head to your local library or pick this book up at your local bookstore for a good summer read. Don't forgot to think about who is living beside you!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book.

Shari Lapena has long been one of my favourite aurthors and I impatiently await her new releases and Everyone Here is Lying is one of her best works!

Avery Wooler is missing, and it is completely unravelling the neighborhood. As different suspicious and accusations come to light, it's clear that no one is telling the truth. Will they find Avery in time? This one has a twist that I can honestly say I did not see coming!

I truly feel like I just visited the most screwed up neighborhood there ever was - and it has made me infinitely happy that I don't live in a suburban neighborhood!

When Avery, a 9-year-old girl, disappears one day after school, the whole community is put into a tailspin. Where could she have went? The race against time begins and everyone hopes they can find her alive and we’ll before something bad happens.
The people closest to Avery, her parents, may have to deal with secrets coming out if Avery is found, for instance the affair William is having with one of their neighbours or how he loses his temper sometimes with his behaviourally challenged daughter.
The neighbours are not as innocent as they seem and things threaten to escalate the longer Avery is missing.

I really enjoyed Shari Lapena’s newest novel and think it fits in nicely with her other domestic mysteries. At times the flow of the book seems to be a bit repetitive and the ending a bit rushed, which is the only reason this book is not getting 5 Stars.
If you have liked any of Lapena’s other novels, you are sure to like this one also!

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Everyone Here Is Lying releases July 25, 2023

<i>“I love Avery, she’s my daughter—but I’m afraid of her. I’m not sure what she’s capable of.”</I>

This is your classic small town, suburban neighbourhood thriller where everyone's business is everyone’s problem and messy lies and secrets disrupt the harmony of the entire street.

The story starts out with the end of an affair between two married parents, William and Nora.
William is thrown off track when he comes home early to find his nine year old there when she wasn’t supposed to be. He gets angry, and with his history of lashing out, he hits his daughter.
Between the time of them both being at home, and roughly 1-2 hours later when the mother and son come home for the day, Avery has gone missing.

Everyone Here Is Lying is told in multi-pov, and at first I didn’t find it too overwhelming, but as more characters started being introduced, it really got to be too much (I lost count after a whopping 12 pov’s). You get the perspectives of most family members, neighbours, and detectives, and they frequently switch within chapters with no indications — this might be a deal breaker for some readers if you’re not able to read through it in one sitting.

I thought that the whereabouts of Avery was revealed too early in the story (65%) and having to read the word “molesting” over and over (even though nothing happened) wasn’t fun.

For context, it’s told that Avery has a learning disability, ADHD, and behavioural problems, but I think it was much more than that.
Reading about psychopathic/sociopathic adults is unsettling enough, but to read about such a calculating and unhinged nine year old who is still developing is another level. Big nope for me.
Which leads me to how this book ended: it did not add up for me considering the characteristics that were already established. I didn’t buy that she would suddenly slip up with her false story and it felt abrupt as a whole.

And to think, all of this would not have happened if cheaters didn’t exist!!!!! :)
ffs I hate the cheating trope/plot device and it seems to be following me in like 90% of the books I’ve read this year.


cw: physical abuse, cheating

Another twisty thriller from Shari Lapena! When a child goes missing, neighbourhood secrets come to the surface, threatening to destroy families. Fingers point at everyone, including the girl’s father and the son of the woman he is having an affair with.

Lapena’s crisp writing style makes for an easy read with a fast-paced plot to keep the pages turning. Told from multiple points of view, the story unfolds with an intimate look inside the lives of neighbourhood residents. More than one household has something to hide.

When the truth is revealed, the ending comes a bit abruptly. I found this to be an effective close to the main storyline, but would have liked an epilogue to see the aftereffects on the families involved.

All in all, a suspenseful mystery with plenty of neighbourhood drama, Everyone Here is Lying will keep you reading till the shocking end.

3.5⭐️ rounded up to 4!

Well I flew through this one! That being said, I still found it hard to rate. There were so many great things about the story AKA: The TWISTS though! 😱)

The only negative about this book for me seems to be the repetition. The problem is there was A LOT of it. It made the story feel like it was dragging on at certain points.

Besides that, I love the format in which it’s written; in 3rd person POV but seamlessly transitions from person to person as the events are directly happening so we’re getting everyone’s POV to the events in one sitting.

At the same time it’s written very simple. Short sentences, short chapters. Very to the point, easy, which could also be why it feels so repetitive.

Onto the characters: Avery was almost too smart/complex for a 9 year old… but damn reading about her character was wild and I actually enjoyed it because it made me feel lots of things (no spoilers here).

Also the culprits reasoning for doing what they do, sat with me a little weirdly cause it’s random but I definitely get it and it made everything in the story come together so smoothly!

Almost none of the characters were likeable (which actually was a positive in this case).

& just when you think you know whodunnit or what even happened, another character with a wild secret is exposed and it makes you question all of your judgment. This is what I love about Lapena’s books: they ALWAYS hit you (almost subtlety) with that OHHHHHH factor! I love seeing the crazy connections and the sneaky hints of the story.

Also, absolutely loved the ending. Loved, loved, loved!

Shari Lapena is an auto buy author for me & this book is no different! I would recommend Everyone Here is Lying if you love fast paced, secret-ridden, twisty suspense/thriller books!!

Thank you NetGalley, DoubleDay Publishing & Shari Lapena for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada as well as Shari Lapena for this eARC. I don't know what to say about this book. This book started off strong for me and then I felt it went nowhere. I dragged so much. When the twist came, I wanted to just throw my device down because it was exactly what I thought it would be. The book was not my favorite from Shari but I will still read more from here. As well, when the twist was presented, I felt the book could have ended right there as well.

The premise for this immediately hooked me: I am a sucker for stories with missing persons. Here, a "difficult" nine-year-old girl named Avery vanishes in a small neighbourhood, and soon people aren't sure who to trust.

I will say I struggled a bit with the writing and pacing. The first 50% felt very long and drawn-out, as we slowly learn all the major characters involved, and their reactions to Avery's disappearance. The short POVs and chapters kept me turning the pages, but I found the amount of characters and the way the narration constantly jumped between POVs a bit overwhelming. As a result, in the first chunk of the book, it was easy to lose track of characters' identities and relationships to one another. There was an overall lack of depth or characterization for most characters, since we follow so many different characters and spend so little time with most of them. I also have to say I didn't particularly like the way certain characters with autism or other perceived behavioural "difficulties" were handled.

The twist/reveal of Avery's disappearance was definitely unexpected. But, without giving away spoilers, it all felt rather rushed and unbelievable after a certain point, particularly regarding some of Avery's decisions and actions. Again, this may be due to a lack of overall characterization, but it wasn't enough for us to simply read about how difficult of a child she is and then somehow believe her outlandish plan. I was also shocked by the abrupt ending--I kept scrolling, assuming there would be more, like an epilogue. Unfortunately, it was not a satisfactory ending for me, and after loving NOT A HAPPY FAMILY, it didn't live up to my expectations of the author.

I received an advance digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.

A 9 year old goes missing. Where is she? Did her father, who is having an affair with a neighbour and a co-worker, have something to do with it? He did, after all, hit her just prior to her leaving the house.
Did the woman he’s having the affair with’s son have something to do with it? Is there another teen on the street with autism that had something to do with her disappearance?

Lapena has worked with a missing child before in her 2016 novel The Couple Next Door and, like that novel, this one has holes, too. I really wanted to love this book, but I couldn’t.

**spoiler alert***do not read further if you don’t want any inking of what happens

The biggest issue with this book is the fact that Avery is 9. Had she been 15, everything that happens could be plausible. First of all, a father, a doctor and well-respected member of his small town community, abuses his daughter. He knocks her to the ground very hard at the beginning. Is this character trait here so we, the reader, get an idea of just how diabolical Avery is?
The idea of a nine-year-old orchestrating a “kidnapping,” and then murdering a full-sized woman, was too implausible and the entire plot fell flat at the end. I sincerely doubt someone that young would be that mature, that intelligent to be able to figure out so much of human behaviour to manipulate so many adults

The twist at the very end of the book is very good. I wish there had been more of that.

When 9-year-old Avery Wooler goes missing, the small neighbourhood she lives in is upended. Everyone is a suspect of her disappearance. Is the culprit her father, a respected doctor who is having an illicit affair? William was the last one to see his daughter and he lied about it. Or is it her teenage neighbour, who was arrested for drug possession just a year ago? The story isn’t short of culprits. And there are certainly twists and turns.

But unfortunately, this book wasn’t my cup of tea. The writing was too short and sparse. It was hard to relate to any characters. And the first half of the book dragged.

This book would be good for fans of Lapena’s previous work though and those who like the formula she uses.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Nine year old Avery goes missing one day after school, and everyone on her street is a suspect. There's so many twists and secrets in this one - because you guessed it... everyone is lying!

Told in multiple POV's - following Avery's family, neighbours, and the police who are trying to piece everything together - it will surely keep you flipping the pages, trying to guess what happens next!

As usual for Shari Lapena's books, I flew through it, and I thought the ending was absolutely perfect. I highly recommend picking this one up - it's one of my favourites for 2023.

Thank you @netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

I read this one mostly in one sitting and I had plenty of thoughts - mostly positive now that I finished it. I was intrigued, I love a good neighbourhood drama thriller and this one mostly delivered.

The writing makes it so binge-able, and I kept turning the pages as I had to know what happened to Avery. When the big reveal came I found myself disappointed, and my jaw didn't drop like I was hoping. That said, part of me actually does like it because it reminds me of one of my favourite characters from an iconic show (I won't say cause if you know the show, then it winds up being a spoiler).

I was thinking 3 stars by the reveal but those final few pages really upped it for me. I'm going to give it 3.5 for those final moments. I just wish this book delivered more of those and it would've been a hit for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my early copy.

Shari Lapena has truly outdone herself. I LOVED this one and absolutely flew through it. I am a sucker for a neighbourhood thriller but there’s often the temptation to add WAY too many storylines that you’re just along for the ride as a reader and can’t guess anything. Lapena toed this line perfectly in this one. There were enough characters, enough going on, enough drama, but not too much. There were characters I loved, hated, loved to hate, or were indifferent about. And guys … the END.

It was very Agatha Christie And Then There Were None-esque with short snappy features from each of the characters (which admittedly makes it confusing at the start). I loved that in a given chapter you could have 4 or 5 perspectives. It was an interesting layout for the book and I’m honestly not sure I’ve seen it before.

Thank you for the advanced copy. I really enjoyed reading this book. I was putting aside other activities to get back to it and read quite quickly - always a good sign ! However the ending came too quick and fell flat for me, I was surprised to see there were no more pages after the final lines (I kept swiping head thinking the blank pages were a glitch). While I was satisfied with the reveal that Avery staged her own disappearance, I found Marion’s complicity and goal to kill Avery unrealistic. Perhaps if Marion’s character had been built up a bit more from the start and more time devoted to the dynamic between Marion and Avery it could have been more believable. Lastly, I found the tv interview ending less than satisfying. Avery’s character is built up to be manipulative, independent and somewhat clever. Accidentally revealing she was ‘double-crossed’ was too simple for me, I expected more from her. Also it was not a satisfying ‘payback’ for the suffering she had caused all the characters.

It doesn't matter where you live and what your "status" is, when a child goes missing, no one is left with secrets to hide. But in this small town and this particular street, many lives are about to be upended! Why? Because everyone is lying! Everyone!
This is a really good book and delves into many of our worst fears and lifestyles. those looking for love at all costs, those who's love is tested beyond measure, those who are tired of the love that seems routine and more.
You will enjoy this book as it is a page turner and the outcome is far from what you expect. It will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Well done Shari Lapena!

I just reviewed Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena. #NetGalley
https://www.netgalley.com/book/282310/review/728485

I liked this book. It kept me interested the entire time. I read it in a few hours. The little girl Avery sounds almost narcissistic to me and almost psychopathic. She doesn’t have any empathy for anyone around her. She has no problem letting her mom and brother suffering while she was gone just to punish her father.

I think she’s this way because her parents gave in to her whenever she kicked up a fuss so they let her have her way just to keep her from having a tantrum. That doesn’t make a child well adjusted. They learn to manipulate to get whatever they want.

Shari Lapena’s books are always open ended in the endings, so I liked this ending. We see Avery’s unraveling in this interview she’s doing and her parents finally seeing what she’s really like. I really want to know what happened to her.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I’m obsessed with thriller books so I’ve read a lot, and it takes a lot to really surprise me. I liked this story a lot, I like that the twist came just over half way through. The way that the different character’s lives were woven together. And the ending was satisfying.

The main reason I’m giving 4 instead of 5 stars is the beginning felt a bit long while the end felt a bit rushed. I also had a bit of a hard time buying into a 9 year old being quite as smart as Avery was in this.

All in all, I’d recommend it as a good read and look forward to reading more from this author!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of Everyone Here is Lying by Shari Lapena, published by Penguin Random House Canada

I love Shari Lapena's novels and this one did not disappoint, great characters, great plot and a great twist or two. There is lying, deceit and infidelity in this novel
Avery is a 9 yr old girl, she definitely has some issues and disappears after her father loses his temper with her. Little does she know that her father has just been dumped by his lover and is distraught. When Avery's mom realizes her daughter is missing, she calls the police and a search begins.
There is so much more to this novel than my brief description but I don't want to give too much away. If you love Shari Lapena, you will love this book. It's one of those books you just can't put down and need to know what happens next

Wow! Just when you think you have figured it out another neighbour becomes a potential suspect. This was a one day, didn’t want to put it down , didn’t get anything else done read for me. Shari Lapena has done it again and I think this one is my favourite of all of her books. Definitely a must read.
Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada, and Shari Lapena for the opportunity to devour this ARC.

4.5 stars

Canadian author, Shari Lapena is one of my auto reads. She writes domestic stories that make one wonder who is watching. Such is the case with Everyone Here Is Lying.

Avery Wooler is only 9 years old when she disappeared without a trace. Is her father really responsible? This was a fast paced read that takes place over a relatively short period of time. It grabbed me right away and I had a hard time letting go. With nice shortish chapters it was easy to read JustOneMoreChapter (pun intended).

Everyone Here is Lying has a number of different POV, it didn't take long to keep everyone straight. Lots of red herrings, unreliable characters and actually not too many that I even liked. The story was twisty with a plot and subplots that kept me guessing. Did I figure it out 🤐

If you want to a captivating suspenseful read, then be on the lookout July 25th for this one.

My thanks to Penguin Random House CA (via Netgalley) for a digital arc in exchange for honest review.