You Lied First

Title: You Lied First

Author: Annabel Kantaria

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Publisher: HQ

Published Date: 2025

Book Length: 371

Format Read: Paperback

Star Rating: 4**** I like it a lot and recommend

About Book: Sara is about to spend a week in a villa with people she barely knows.

She’s been invited to join her daughter, Liv, her boyfriend and his parents on their holiday. She can’t say no. After what happened, she’ll jump at any chance to spend time with Liv.

She tries to be the perfect guest, and they seem like the perfect hosts. But something about the Forrest family isn’t right.

By the end of the trip, someone will be dead. Lies will bind the rest of them together. But who can lie the best?

My Thoughts: You Lied First by Annabel Kantaria is an, unsettling psychological thriller. Two families spend a week away together, their only connection being the friendship between their two children.

The story unfolds through alternating points of view, with each chapter offering a fresh perspective. This narrative style adds depth and complexity, allowing me to get to know the characters’ personalities, relationships, and motives. It also gives the reader a unique sense of intimacy, as though we are privy to private thoughts that others in the story cannot hear.

The pacing begins slowly, giving just enough time to settle into the setting and get to know the characters. About a third of the way through, however, the tone shifts—long-kept secrets begin to unravel. Kantaria handles these reveals with a masterful, surreptitious touch; the tension creeps in quietly, almost without notice, until you suddenly realise you’ve been caught in a web of lies and suspicion. You Lied First is an elegantly written, slow-burn thriller that rewards patience with a suspenseful, satisfying payoff. Kantaria’s skill in building atmosphere and weaving multiple perspectives makes for a layered, immersive read. Perfect for fans of domestic thrillers where appearances are deceiving, this is a story that lingers in the mind long after the final page.