Without a doubt, Liane Moriarty is my favorite author. She is an Australian author of six international bestsellers, two of which are number one New York Times bestsellers. She is also one of the few authors in the world to simultaneously have three books among New York Times’ bestselling books. The first book that I read by Liane Moriarty was What Alice Forgot, suggested as a summer read by a YouTube beauty vlogger. It was so riveting that I just could not put it down and ended up reading until sunrise. After finishing my first book, I eagerly downloaded other books by Liane Moriarty onto my Kindle and read all of her hit novels within a week. If you’ve been missing out on the wonderfully crafted stories by Moriarty, check out some of the books in this list this summer:
1. What Alice Forgot
What Alice Forgot is the book that started my love for Liane Moriarty’s books. It begins with Alice Love regaining her consciousness after falling off a gym bike. It’s the year 2008, but Alice is convinced that it’s 1998. She’s worried that her first baby in her womb is hurt from the fall and believes that she and her husband are happily married, only to find out that she has three children and is in the process of ending her marriage for good. The book closely details the lives of Alice and those around her as Alice struggles to remember the mysterious last ten years of her life and restores her relationship with her husband.
2. The Last Anniversary
Sophie Honeywell was asked by her boyfriend, Thomas Gordon, for her hand in marriage, to which she said no, breaking his heart. Three years later, she receives news that Thomas’ Aunt Connie has left Sophie a house on Scribbly Gum Island, home to Thomas and his large and unusual family. When Sophie arrives at the island, she encounters the eccentric and mysterious family members, including Thomas’ cousin Grace, who is planning to run away from her husband and baby, and Veronika, Thomas’ sister who has her heart set on the house Sophie has inherited. As Liane Moriarty unravels the mystery of the inhabitants of Scribbly Gum and baby Enigma who was discovered and raised by Aunt Connie and her sister, she maintains a marvelously thrilling and mysterious mood that keeps the reader hungry for more.
3. The Husband's Secret
Cecilia Fitzpatrick has what looks to be the perfect life; she’s happily married to her husband, has three adorable daughters and is a successful Tupperware host. But her perfect life is on the verge of falling apart when she discovers a letter addressed to Cecilia by her husband John-Paul, to be opened after John-Paul’s death. The letter contains a secret so shocking it threatens to alter the lives of everyone in the community including Cecilia’s and her husband’s. Like most of Moriarty’s hit novels, The Husband's Secret centers around a mystery that has the reader guessing continuously but refuses to reveal its truth until the very end.
4. Three Wishes
Three Wishes is Moriarty’s debut novel, published in 2003. It reveals the undersides of the seemingly glamorous lives of three triplets, Lyn, Cat and Gemma Kettle. The Kettle triplets have celebrated their 33rd birthdays, and their 33rd year brings to each of the sisters her own set of challenges. Lyn is a successful businesswoman and wife who organizes everything (literally, everything) into a list. Cat has to cope with her husband’s infidelity and a miscarriage. Gemma wrestles with her relationships as she tries to maintain a relationship for more than six months. Three Wishes surely has enough witty humor and intriguing drama to keep you entertained this summer.
5. Big Little Lies
Big Little Lies follows the intensely interesting lives of three women: Madeline, Celeste and Jane. Madeline seems to be the mother who is capable of anything but struggles to win her daughter’s preference over her divorced dad. Celeste is the most beautiful woman in town married to a fabulously wealthy husband, but her friends don’t know half of what goes on in her splendidly expensive home. Jane is the new mom in town who struggles to fit in among the other mothers and holds a deep, dark secret about her son. From the very beginning, it’s certain that someone will be dead by the end of the book. Moriarty’s true storytelling skills lie behind her unfolding of the mysterious night on which a member of the small, quiet community died.
Be sure to also check out Liane Moriarty’s new book, Truly Madly Guilty, coming this July!
