Everyone Here Is Lying

Welcome to Stanhope, a neighborhood that appears perfectly safe and ideal for raising families. Beneath this idyllic surface, however, lies a web of secrets that threatens to unravel when nine-year-old Avery Wooler disappears. Her father William, a respected doctor with a seemingly perfect life, has just experienced a devastating end to his affair, returning home in a fragile emotional state to find his difficult daughter unexpectedly home from school. What happens in that tense encounter sets off a chain reaction that will expose the dark underbelly of this quiet community.

As the search for Avery intensifies, the neighborhood’s carefully constructed facades begin to crumble. Each resident appears to be hiding something—a secret relationship, a hidden resentment, or a past mistake they’d rather forget. The police investigation draws out conflicting accounts and questionable alibis, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish truth from deception. With every new witness statement, the community grows more suspicious of one another, revealing how little even next-door neighbors truly know about each other’s lives.

The tension escalates as the residents of Stanhope confront their own moral compromises while searching for answers about Avery’s disappearance. Lapena masterfully explores how ordinary people can become entangled in extraordinary circumstances, showing how a single moment of poor judgment can spiral into catastrophe. The novel delves into the complexities of marriage, parenthood, and the lies we tell to protect ourselves and those we love—even when those lies might ultimately destroy everything.

Through multiple perspectives, the story unfolds with precision and psychological insight, creating an atmosphere where no one is quite what they seem. Lapena skillfully builds suspense by revealing just enough information to keep readers guessing while maintaining an underlying sense of dread. The narrative structure keeps you questioning each character’s motives and reliability, making it impossible to predict who might be connected to Avery’s disappearance or what truths might emerge next.

In this gripping tale of suburban secrets and deception, Shari Lapena proves once again why she’s considered a master of domestic suspense. The novel challenges readers to consider how well we truly know the people closest to us and what we might be capable of when pushed to our limits. With its expert pacing, complex characters, and an ending that delivers a powerful emotional punch, “Everyone Here Is Lying” is a psychological thriller that will keep you turning pages long into the night.