Book Review: Everyone Here is Lying by Shari Lapena

 

Book: Everyone Here is Lying 

Author: Shari Lapena 

Pages: 326

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: ~4 hours 

Plot Summary: Welcome to Stanhope - a safe neighbourhood. A place for families.

William Wooler is a family man, on the surface. But he's been having an affair, an affair that ended horribly this afternoon at a motel up the road. So when he returns to his house, devastated and angry, to find his difficult nine-year-old daughter Avery unexpectedly home from school, William loses his temper.

Hours later, Avery's family declares her missing.

Suddenly Stanhope doesn't feel so safe. And William isn't the only one on his street who's hiding a lie. As witnesses come forward with information that may or may not be true, Avery's neighbours become increasingly unhinged.

Who took Avery Wooler?

Things I Liked:

1. I really enjoy reading about the dynamics and relationships of people in small communities. There is something always so interesting about how people, who live in close quarters, interact with each other. This book is set in a small-ish neighbourhood and when a nine-year-old girl goes missing all kinds of hidden resentments, secrets and such rise to the surface. 

2. The book is very fast-paced and interesting. There is never a dull moment as all the key events in the book take place over a period of approximately 72- 80 hours or so. There are plenty of suspects and red herrings and new revelations about the Wooler family, the missing girl- Avery- and even various other people in the neighbourhood keep the narrative interesting. 

3. There is not a whole lot of character study or development, given the limited scope of the story, but even then, as a reader, you do get a sense of who the key people are.. William Wooler is a successful doctor but is unhappily married and having an affair. The reasons behind his unhappy marriage are interesting and the author takes her time to slowly reveal how the demise of a happy marriage took place. William's wife- Erin- is a devoted mother; perhaps too blind to the faults of her daughter, making too many excuses for Avery's atrocious behaviour in school and at home. Their dynamic and also the child-parent dynamic in this book is very interesting and sort-of nuanced. 

4. There is an interesting twist in the story but I do think it is not such a surprise. I don't want to spoil it or even discourage you from reading the book. This is an interesting crime thriller but it is not-very-difficult to guess what the twist is. That's all I am saying. 

5. The book also delves with themes of othering of those different from us and the perils of trial by media. There are two suspects offered up by women in the neighbourhood and both go through hell because of biases and prejudices. I appreciate the author for bringing this aspect of the dangers of sensationalism by the media in murder and missing persons cases. 

Things I Didn't Like: 

1. The ending was not satisfactory for me. I am sure a lot of people would've enjoyed it and I think I know which direction the author is planning on taking but I'd rather she'd fully taken it instead of how she left it. Sorry for being vague but I don't want to spoil the book :) This is not a deal breaker at all and, I think, most people would be absolutely okay with the ending. 

Rating: 4/5