Book Review: Everyone Here is Lying | Shari Lapena

Should have been titled “Everyone Here is Unlikable” if I’m being honest. I don’t mind unlikable characters, but these ones weren’t unlikeable in a fun or interesting way. I just didn’t really care for them. That would also be forgivable with a better plot but again, I just found myself not caring.

What is Everyone Here is Lying about?

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 declare 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?

Nothing will prepare you for the truth.

What did I think?

I hold Shari Lapena to a really high bar because I have loved everything I’ve read by her, until this one. Take my review with a grain of salt because I scrolled through and mine is a minority opinion. I’m seeing so much love for this book so please don’t base whether you read this solely based on my opinion.

I really disliked how a child with autism and a child with ADHD were portrayed (and the lack of redemption for them). I think the author had good intent with those portrayals, but this added to the general sense that the characters and stories lacked development.

The book starts with married doctor William upset that the married woman he was having an affair with broke up with him. He arrives home to find his 9-year old daughter Avery there and she is being very difficult (which seems to be her norm) and he hits her. Afterwards he apologizes and asks her not to tell her mother.

An hour later Avery’s brother and William’s son Michael arrives home from school to find Avery isn’t there. What ensues is a witch hunt through their neighborhood as the police seek to find out what happened to Avery, William’s affair is revealed, and neighbors throw accusations at one another’s kids.

The first 25% was a fast read but it slowed down a lot through the middle of the book for me. I love a character-driven book, and this book sorely lacked in character development. I don’t mind an unlikable character when they are mindfully written that way, but I think because there were so many characters and perspectives, we didn’t get enough development in any of them to either love or love-to-hate anyone.

There was a decent twist about 2/3 through and then the ending proceeded about how I expected from there. The ending kind of made me roll my eyes, if I’m honest!

I’m seeing lots of love for this and would be curious to know what you thought if you read it!