In my mind, Carol Goodman can do no wrong. Luckily books like this keep boosting that impression. She continues to be able to do brilliant work while building on her latest obsession of mixing gothic suspense with meta narratives about writers and publishing. This one is one of her best ever.

I am sorry to report that, in my honest opinion, this is a painfully average thriller. The quality of the writing itself is not particularly great, and unfortunately I do not care about any of the characters - protagonist included. I tried so hard to hang in there, but I am choosing to DNF at 65%.

This book didn't have a strong start for me and the plot was weak along with unlikeable characters. The story seemed familiar, but it just didn't work for me.

Ok, is it just me or is this also, basically, the plot of The Bones of the Story? It felt like utterly familiar ground, from the stereotypical over-the-top trope-like characters to the gist of the locked-room setup... I struggled with that one too. It is unfortunate that I don't seem to connect to these books at all, because I really like her concepts (and covers), yet the execution doesn't work for me each and every time... I think we just aren't a good fit, reader-and-book wise.

Wow, I found this mystery pretty mesmerizing. The Greek myths seep their way into the story, and I love the writing. It feels immediate and modern and concise, which is the perfect counterpart to a complicated, well-plotted mystery. Another thing I really love about this book is that even though all the solutions are rooted in the past, there aren't a million annoying hints of the kind I see a lot in other mysteries. We discover connections and causes right along with Maia, and it doesn't feel like the author is purposely holding out on us just to keep us reading. This is a strong, dark mystery with some great physical drama and wry/dark humor, as well. Bring on the next title--will there be a next title?

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a Greek game of Clue.

It started out a little slow, but picked up fairly quickly. I thought I had it figured out when the group finally found their host; but I was pleasantly surprised to find my assumption was wrong.

This book has twist after twist, a love triangle, a plethora of Ancient Greek mythology, and all the qualities of a great classic mystery.

I really enjoyed the cast of characters and each of their backstories. All of their interconnected stories were very well written. Nothing felt forced or outlandish.

A page turner following traditional mystery tropes but….too much mythology, unlikeable (but not interesting characters) and ultimately ludicrous plotting

On the surface, Writers and Liars is a mystery in the same vein as an English hunting party—a cast of characters comes to an isolated destination, there is a murder, and everyone is stuck in the location and immediately become suspects. In this case, the location is an isolated Greek island owned by a billionaire who dabbles in publishing and Greek antiquities. The guests consist of a group of writers who had first attended a writing retreat at the same island fifteen years prior. They have all been invited back, minus one of the attendees, and there is some initial mystery over who sent the invitations and why they have all been summoned. When the first murder occurs they all become suspicious of one another, not knowing who to trust or who could be killed next.

I was on board with the premise of the story, but it quickly becomes mired in the many details about Greek mythology and antiquities…so much so, that I skimmed whole sections of the narrative as the information was heavy and weighed down the plot. I didn’t care for the characters and had to suspend belief when the murderer was revealed. While I can appreciate the amount of research that must have gone into writing this book, the story didn’t come together in a satisfying way for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I enjoyed this thriller, however it fell a bit flat for me. The plot was interesting, and I loved the history tied into the story, but I just didn't find myself super interested/immersed in the story.

2 stars.

Fifteen years ago Maia Gold attended a very prestigious writers retreat hosted by billionaire Argos Alexander on his Greek island called Eris. She wrote her first book there and her career is thriving. However something bad happened while she was on the island and the memory has hung over her ever since.

Now nearly all of the same writers have been invited back by Alexander and though he isn’t present to greet them he wants them to participate in a writing contest. But when they meet the first morning to share chapters they find him dead. Now they are trapped with a murderer.

I read Goodman once before and didn’t fall in love, but I enjoy books about writing retreats and I can’t resist a good locker room mystery so I decided to give her another try. I guess we just aren’t well suited to each other. I thought this read like YA even though it isn’t. It’s incredibly repetitive; I got that Eris was the goddess of discord the first thirteen times you told me, thanks. And the whole thing was just silly. Not for me, but I think she has quite a few fans out there.

3.5
The mystery is fine and the classical stuff is pretty cool, but the connections are razor thin. This is the equivalent of setting up a murder board in crayon. It still works, but it's unnecessarily reduced to something not exactly juvenile but...messy.

An enjoyable mystery with a great atmospheric setting. The constant Greek mythology references got very heavy handed towards the end which took away some of my enjoyment of this book. Also there were plot inconsistencies that bothered me the whole time.

Received an ARC from NetGalley

Carol Goodman is a long time favorite of mine and I was excited to receive her newest! Writers and Liars is a sharply written contemporary thriller that immerses readers in an atmospheric story set on a small Greek island. Fifteen years after attending a prestigious writers' retreat hosted by the billionaire Argos Alexander, Maia Gold is invited back to the island. She is reticent to attend this new event as it will bring up memories of her beloved parents and a lost love. However, when she learns that the other past retreat participants are returning, she takes the plunge.

When the participants arrive, they realize that Argos Alexander, is missing and has left behind instructions for a writing contest., When the group gathers the following morning, they find Argos' body and it is clear he has been murdered. Slowly but surely, secrets are revealed concerning each guest and it's clear that there was a master plan enacted to force the writers to confront one another.

The novel's atmosphere is chilling which is amplified by the setting on the isolated island of Eris. The isolation, the darkness and the foreboding weather act as character in the story, and sharpening the feeling of claustrophobia. There are clear nods to Agatha Christie and many other of the great suspense writers.

In addition to the central murder mystery, Writers and Liars incorporates lots Greek mythology and etymology, offering a modern feminist take of ancient tales. The connection between the mythology and the plot is woven throughout, with Maia drawing parallels between the writers' lives and the stories of gods.

At its core, Writers and Liars is a thrilling examination of jealousy, ambition, and the darker sides of artistic success. The character are carefully developed, with just enough backstory to make their motivations feel believable. The interplay between personal history, betrayal, and artistic rivalry makes for a gripping read that explores what drives people to act in such desperate and violent ways.

Writers and Liars is a compelling, immersive story filled with twists and turns. The intricate plot, atmospheric setting, and complex characters keep the reader hooked until the final page. Fans of Gothic suspense, dark academia, and modern takes on classic myths will find themselves captivated by this novel. It’s a masterful blend of mystery, literary intrigue, making it a must-read for anyone who enjoys a layered, thought-provoking thriller. #writersandliars #williammorrow. #carolgoodman

this was a pretty good book! For me, it was a pretty standard locked room mystery read, where the locked room is the retreat they are all at. I think it had lots of twists and turns, lots of perspectives, and was interesting!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Secluded island, writers retreat, mysterious death? I love these kinds of thrillers so I was interested in the plot of this. It was pretty entertaining. My only complaint is it gets a little Greek mythology dense, and I do mean DENSE. Those parts I started to struggle with, especially more towards the end. All in all, solid thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Another amazing novel by Goodman. I’ve read and devoured every one of her books and this one was no exception. Interesting characters. Some likable and others horrid. A long on going mystery and everyone seems to have something to hide. Phenomenal book. Love the setting, remote and mysterious. Plenty of surprise too.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

I really enjoyed this and flew through it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

336 pages

4 stars

This book took me to a totally different place than I imagined. I thought, oh a group of writers got together for a reunion of sorts on a secluded private Greek island. They haven’t seen one another for some fifteen years.

The billionaire host has failed to show up. Resentments from fifteen years earlier are boiling over among the group.

What follows is a deep dive into Greek art and history. The history of the Gods and the mortal (for the most part), women whom they terrorized.

I found myself immersed in the history and tales. It was a trip that I never expected to make. Include the theme of murder, mayhem, old slights and a rollicking tale of piracy.

This is a wonderfully written story with great characters complete with fleshed out backgrounds. The blending of art/ history with melds beautifully with the storyline. This is my first novel by Carol Goodman, and I am anxious to look into her other works.

I want to thank NetGalley and William Morrow/William Morrow Paperbacks for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

Maybe the characters (all either failed or cliched authors) would kill for an inspiration as the tag line suggests, but wouldn't you as a reader kill for some originality?

I've read Goodman before, more than once, she's a usually a solid writer. But lamentably one caught up, like so many others, in the market that demands more of the same trite female-powered mystery thrillers that are dominating the market. Another current popular trope seems to be academics and/or writers for characters and writer retreats for settings, so Goodman hits those up too.

Checklist complete, you get a novel full of such cardboardy, tedious, predictable characters that it's difficult to give a crap about any of them.

Mind you, this could have very easily been a lovely nod to the class Golden Age mystery, complete with a picturesque Greek location and embroidered creatively with Greek mythology references. All of that is still there but largely buried by the trite character dramatics, right down to the final, very predictable twist and a heavy-handed girl power message.
And yes, archeology is huge in Greece, but who wants to have to unearth the plot of the novel from all the pandering crap piled on top of it?

Readable and entertaining to an extent, but overall, a disappointment. And yet another reminder of the sad state of the publishing industry and its determination to cater to the lowest hanging fruit of the audience tree. Thanks Netgalley.