2025 Book Review #26: Everyone Here is Lying

 

This is a super fast-paced book and a true page turner. I stayed up far too long one evening reading this story. 

STORY SUMMARY

Stanhope, NY has always been considered a safe community for families. William Wooler, his wife Erin, pre-teen son Michael and 9 year old daughter Avery live in a nice house in a safe and friendly neighborhood.  William is a well respected and well liked doctor. He's also very handsome and charming. But....

William has been having an affair with one of the neighbor wives, Nora Blanchard. Nora is married to Al and they have two children Ryan (age 18) and Faith who is Avery's age. Nora is a volunteer at the hospital and they think they have kept their affair a secret. 

But one day, in October, Nora tells William the affair needs to end.  She breaks it off in the motel room that they have been sneaking into for months. William returns home that afternoon, devastated, angry, confused. He finds Avery there when she is supposed to be at choir practice at the school. Avery has always been a difficult child and was kicked out of choir that day.  She walked home by herself rather than waiting for Michael to walk her home. She let herself into the house with the key that is left under the welcome mat. William gives Avery a direction and Avery defies him. William loses his temper and then storms out of the house, leaving Avery in the kitchen. 

Hours later, Avery's family realizes she is missing. 

Now, the village of Stanhope no longer feels safe. And William isn't the only one on the street who is hiding a lie. Witnesses begin to come forth with information that may or may not be true. Some of the neighbors become unhinged. 

Who took Avery Wooler?? 

MY THOUGHTS

This was a bit far--fetched for me  and I can't really tell you why I think so without runing the twister of a plot. 

The character development is superb.  There are quite a few characters but they're easy to keep track of. 

This plot seems to be a "little girl is kidnapped by some strange boy or man" kind of crime thriller but then you learn what really happened and it's a major twist away from what I thought was going to be the story line. It's so well done.

I was a bit disappointed in the very end of the book though.  It takes another turn and I just didn't like how that played out. 

The main themes in this book are: adultery and the effects on families; marital relationships; mother-daughter/father-daughter relationships; manipulation; dishonesty vs honesty; children who have oppositional defiant disorder; parents/teen relationships; secrets and the consequences of them; physical abuse and the effects of that. 

If you like fast paced mysteries with a bit of psychological disturbances, this book is for you!

I found no editing errors in this story. 

In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 14 and older. 

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this an 8.