Liane Moriarty

If you’re new to Liane Moriarty, we’d recommend starting with Big Little Lies.

It’s the book that introduced many readers to Moriarty’s brilliant blend of family drama, dark humour and page-turning suspense. What begins as a story about school-gate politics and seemingly perfect lives, soon develops into something much more sinister, with secrets, lies and a seemingly accidental death that keeps you guessing until the very end.

Of course, there are so many other books you could start with to enjoy Moriarty’s incredible characterisation. The Husband’s Secret remains a huge reader favourite, while Apples Never Fall is perfect if you enjoy family mysteries with plenty of emotional depth.

We’d recommend starting with authors such as Lisa Jewell, Gillian McAllister and Claire Douglas. Like Moriarty, they are incredible at taking seemingly ordinary lives and revealing the secrets, lies and simmering tensions lurking beneath the surface.

Most of her novels, including The Husband’s Secret and Apples Never Fall, are standalone stories. However, Moriarty has published Big Little Truths, a sequel to Big Little Lies.

While it’s hard to pick the best, Big Little Lies is definitely the novel that turned Liane Moriarty into an international phenomenon, especially after the adaptation featuring Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon. With astute character observations, sharp observations about family and friendship, plenty of dark humour and a mystery that keeps you turning the pages, Big Little Lies is one to immediately add to your TBR pile.