Circle of Liars by Kate Francis
🎯 A high-stakes guilt game where survival means turning on your friends.
PRE-READING THOUGHTS
A deadly teen thriller? Sinister retreat setup? Secrets and lies? Sign me up. I was expecting a fast pace, morally grey characters, and a twisty who-does-what reveal.
POST-READING
As I thought...
This flew by — tense, tight, and compelling from the first page. The central concept is genuinely chilling, and the setup (isolated motel, ticking clock, buried secrets) works very well. I also really liked the writing style — sharp, modern, and easy to race through in a single sitting.
It surprised me by...
While the big twist didn’t land with the shock it wanted (I picked up on it early from the clues), it didn’t ruin the ride. The tension stayed strong, and it still gave satisfying emotional payoff, even if the villain reveal felt telegraphed.
🎵 MUSIC PAIRING
🎵 Featured Song: “bury a friend” – Billie Eilish
🎶 Vibe Album: When I Get Home – Solange (brooding, atmospheric, fragmented and unsettling)
🎧 Artist Recommendation: Banks – for dark pop with emotional undercurrents
🌀 VIBE CHECK
🎨 Colour Palette: Flickering neon, scorched amber, motel beige, blood red
🎬 Soundtrack: Yellowjackets meets Truth or Dare (the Blumhouse one)
🗓️ Season: Late summer — sticky heat, long shadows, fraying nerves
😮💨 Mood: Paranoia. Guilt. Suspicion. One heartbeat from panic.
🕯️ Scent: Burnt plastic and motel air freshener
🔮 TAROT PULL: Judgement
This is a Judgement book if there ever was one — guilt laid bare, consequences demanded, and no turning back. It’s about being forced to face who you are and what you've done — and deciding what that makes you now.
For fans of: One of Us Is Lying (Karen M. McManus) and The Wilds (TV)