Liars (James O’Loghlin, Echo)

In James O’Loghlin’s murder mystery Liars, every character has secrets to hide. The novel is set in the fictitious Bullford Point, a coastal town on NSW’s Northern Beaches, untouched by development and retaining its original charm. It introduces a group of school friends, including Sally and her boyfriend, Joe. When Sally is murdered, the group falls apart. Some years later, Joe—now an ex-prisoner recovering from substance misuse—returns to Bullford Point. Barb Young, the town’s handywoman, hires Joe to give him a new start, but when another resident is murdered, Joe becomes the prime suspect. Barb is unconvinced of his guilt and investigates, discovering that the town’s tranquil exterior conceals many secrets. Is the murder connected to a controversial property development, or to Joe’s true crime podcast, which aimed to uncover the truth behind Sally’s murder? O’Loghlin confidently uses letters, emails, diary entries and police reports to provide crucial character details and build tension in the story. Barb has many threads to pull together as she battles to unpick this riveting saga of small-town lies and deceit, which is suited to fans of cosy crime involving amateur detectives. Liars, much like Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series, touches on some serious issues but with warmth and humour, thanks to O’Loghlin’s background as a comedian, and provides plenty of plot twists to keep readers guessing until the last page.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Katy Briggs is a marketer with a degree in English and history. She is an avid reader across myriad genres. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Friday Unlocked reviews Reviews