Here s the best news you ve heard all year: Not a single page disappoints….The only difficulty withTruly Madly Guilty? Putting it down.” Miami Herald Captivating, suspenseful tantalizing. People MagazineThe new novel from Liane Moriarty, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Husband s Secret, Big Little Lies, and What Alice Forgot, about how sometimes we don t appreciate how … Lies, and What Alice Forgot, about how sometimes we don t appreciate how extraordinary our ordinary lives are until it s too late.
Six responsible adults. Three cute kids. One small dog. It s just a normal weekend. What could possibly go wrong?
In Truly Madly Guilty, Liane Moriarty turns her unique, razor-sharp eye towards three seemingly happy families.
Sam and Clementine have a wonderful, albeit, busy life: they have two little girls, Sam has just started a new dream job, and Clementine, a cellist, is busy preparing for the audition of a lifetime. If there s anything they can count on, it s each other.
Clementine and Erika are each other s oldest friends. A single look between them can convey an entire conversation. But theirs is a complicated relationship, so when Erika mentions a last minute invitation to a barbecue with her neighbors, Tiffany and Vid, Clementine and Sam don t hesitate. Having Tiffany and Vid s larger than life personalities there will be a welcome respite.
Two months later, it won t stop raining, and Clementine and Sam can t stop asking themselves the question: What if we hadn t gone?
In Truly Madly Guilty, Liane Moriarty takes on the foundations of our lives: marriage, sex, parenthood, and friendship. She shows how guilt can expose the fault lines in the most seemingly strong relationships, how what we don t say can be more powerful than what we do, and how sometimes it is the most innocent of moments that can do the greatest harm.
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And done! I liked this book it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat but sometimes the characters were hard to like but they kind of make up for it by the end.. I love a book that pulls everything together at the end and ties things together that didn’t even seem related and that’s exactly what this book did. I definitely recommend
If you have read any reviews for Liane Moriarty’s Truly Madly Guilty, you already know that it all seems to be about something that happened at a barbecue. Be forewarned, it’s much too easy to get sucked into the mystery of what happened…afterall, the hush hush event is brought up over and over and over again and appears to be something horrendously taboo based on how the characters continue to refer to it. But I beg you, for your own enjoyment, ignore these traps. Instead, meet the characters, learn about their relationships and most importantly, learn from them.
Ms. Moriarty’s strength is in her characters. I have written the following statement in every single review I’ve written for her: It’s as if she has personally lived her characters’ lives. The issues are real, the reactions are believable, and the emotions are palpable. In my opinion, her continued reminders of the mysterious barbecue incident were incredibly distracting and did a horrendous disservice to her story. Based on my own personal reading experience, the incident isn’t shocking at all because once it’s laid out for you, you’ll realize it isn’t anything you didn’t already know about. Yes, there are some mild twists and one particular revelation saved for the end that gives a sad little jolt but the infamous barbecue incident does not warrant your focus. Focus on the characters, ignore the barbecue, and you’ll be fine.
You always get a great read from Liane Moriarity. Every relationship gets its due: daughters and mothers, sisters, husbands and wives, parents and children. Love her books
I’m not going to say too much about this book because I don’t want to spoil anything, but it was amazing! Utterly compelling — it’s been a while since I’ve read a book where I just couldn’t put it down, where I connected so deeply with the characters and also cared so strongly about the plot and what would happen next. The Big Reveal may not have been what I expected, or perhaps what I wanted, but that didn’t really matter – the story carried itself regardless. I look forward to reading more of Moriarty’s books – I’m hooked!
This story, from a new-to-me author, begins with ominous scenes where characters were thinking along the lines of, “but that was before the barbecue.” I could NOT stop turning pages, trying to get to the barbecue. And once the life-altering event had occurred, I wondered how the writer could keep the suspense going. But the last part, reading how each of the three couples and their kids dealt with what happened, was equally well done.
When three families come together at a barbecue, something goes wrong. And you spend 300 pages not knowing what happens! There were enough secrets slowly being revealed that I was entertained, though I got to a certain point where I was going absolutely insane with frustration.
“Just tell me! what happens! at this damn barbecue!” I kept yelling at the book.
But then, when you do find out, it is absolutely satisfying and still riveting.
Despite there being 6 main adults in the story (3 couples), they were all so beautifully drawn. Liane Moriarty is masterful at making me care deeply about all of the characters, with each having their own interesting backstory and unique quirks.
This is the first book by Liane Moriarty I’ve read, and I’m definitely going to check out her other books. The book was a complete surprise, and in a great way. I downloaded a copy because I’d read so many great reviews of Liane Moriarty’s novels. Now I know why people love her books! Her characters are completely believable and have a real depth, and the plot of this novel was constructed in a really clever way. This story hinges around the events at a barbecue and is told from several points of view. This is the page-turning quality – you want to find out just what happened – but the characters themselves are really well drawn. The story revolves around two women – Erika and Clementine – who have been unlikely friends since childhood. Are they really friends? And if they are so unalike, why are they still seeing each other? Liane Moriarty made their relationship totally believable. The relationships between the characters are beautifully observed and I couldn’t put the book down until the very end.
Liane Moriarty’s The Husband’s Secret is on my Kindle now, and I’m very much looking forward to reading it.
2.5 stars.
I normally enjoy Ms. Moriarty’s books this one I couldn’t get into. It was extremely slow and it didn’t start to pick up until after 200 pages in. The last 100 or so pages it really picked up and I couldn’t put it down.
The main character, Clementine, I couldn’t stand. Each chapter was told by a different person who was at the BBQ and witnessed what happened.
It wasn’t a horrible book, but it was very, very slow and definitely not worth the $12.99 I paid for it.
I love the way Moriarty feeds the reader tiny bits of information throughout the entire book…she’s a master storyteller! I’ve loved everything I’ve read by her. She teases the reader with sly hints and she ties everything up at the end. Her books are marvelous!
There’s so much to love about TRULY, MADLY, GUILTY. From page one I was enthralled by Erika and Clementine’s tense friendship and marriages. And the addition of the very colorful and charming Tiffany and Vid throws an unsettling dynamic into the mix. I confess I was not expecting the suspense about “what happened at the barbecue” to be drawn out for so long–and I certainly didn’t guess what the revelation would be–but the payoff was totally worth it. It takes the story to another, more compelling level, and the revelations keep coming and coming. I’m in awe of the human complexity of even the most minor of Moriarty’s characters. A strong four stars.
The book builds up to something significant that happened at a barbecue, and while it took a while to get there, I found myself really engaged learning about the characters along the way. There are many reveals throughout the book that kept me totally hooked. This was the first Liane Moriarty book that I’ve read, and I can’t wait to check out her others!
I recently read this and I think with all of its twists and turns it would make a great movie!
Thanks to Net Galley and to Penguin UK- Michael Joseph for providing me with a free copy of the novel in exchange for an unbiased review.
I confess to having checked some of the reviews of the book and noticed that many of the comments compared this novel to some of this Australian writer’s previous work, particularly The Husband’s Secret and Big Little Lies. This is the first of Moriarty’s novels I read and therefore I don’t know if this might be a disappointing read for those who have read the others.
The novel is clearly set from the beginning around something that happened at a barbeque (this being Australia, I guess it’s to be expected). The chapters alternate between the aftermath of the said barbeque (weeks later) and events that happened at the time, although we’re not told exactly what that was until half way through. It is evident that it was an event that affected everybody involved, but the author cleverly (although perhaps annoyingly for some readers) circles around the details and the circumstances of what happened without quite revealing it (and no, I won’t either).
The story is narrated in the third person from the various characters’ points of view, mostly those who were present at the barbeque (that includes Dakota, the young daughter of the couple who had invited the rest to their house), but also some that we only later realise were either involved in the incident or know something about it others don’t. I know some readers don’t like too many changes in viewpoint, although in this case the characters and their voices are sufficiently distinct to avoid confusion.
The three couples present at the incident are very different from each other. Erika and Oliver are a perfectly matched couple. Both grew up with difficult parents and survived disrupted childhoods, although not unscathed. They are organised and methodical and they do everything by the book (or so it seems). Clementine and Sam are the ‘opposites attract’ kind of couple. She is a musician, a cellist, and he doesn’t even like classical music. She is the artist and he is more down to earth. They have two daughters and they are impulsive, free for all and relaxed (although perhaps not as much as they seem). Camilla and Erika are childhood friends, although their friendship was instigated by Camilla’s mother, who became Erika’s heroine and role model, perfect motherhood personified. Camilla feels guilty for resenting Erika’s interference in her childhood, because she’s aware of her family circumstances. But she still feels put upon. Erika’s feelings towards her friend are also complicated, mixing envy, disdain and some true affection.
The third couple, Vid and Tiffany, are Erika and Oliver’s neighbours, very rich, very loud, and seemingly perfect for each other. They enjoy life to the full and don’t mind vending the rules for fun or to get their own way. Although on the surface they seem harmless and good fun, they represent temptation and we later discover they might be darker than they appear. They don’t know the others very well but even they are affected by what happens.
The novel shows how a seemingly unimportant oversight can have an impact on many people’s lives, putting an end to innocence and burdening all with guilt, and how we all keep secrets, sometimes even from ourselves. The guilt we carry, justified or not, can put a terrible strain on relationships and lives and can affect people’s mental health. The story builds up slowly and perhaps because of the emphasis on the event (that is not easy to guess and is kept under wraps for very long) it might result somewhat anticlimactic once it is revealed. For me it works like a puzzle where the pieces are being fitted together slowly, with an insistence on fitting first the outskirts of the picture rather than the centre of it. How much of the detail is necessary is debatable, and it also depends on how much you care for the characters, that are interesting but perhaps not that easy to identify with. There were flashes of humour, but very few and I understand from comments that the author’s previous books were funnier.
I enjoyed the ending that I found unexpectedly positive, although it is not earth-shattering. Some of the couples learn from the event and move on, but not all, although we get to understand the microcosms and all the characters much better by the end of the novel as they have grown more rounded and human. Although I don’t think this is a novel for everybody and it is not a page-turner, I hope to get to check the author’s previous work and I appreciate the quality of her writing, which is descriptive and precious.
This is not the kind of thing I normally read (as in, no one was murdered, and it’s hard for a book to hold my attention if there’s no dastardly crime committed) but I was envious of the way the author can get into her characters’ heads and show how their own self-perception and their perception of others is always a little bit right and a little bit wrong.
Page turner! Love the characters and their storylines. Another great by Laine Moriarty.
Finished this book today–another winner from Liane Moriarty. The interplay between Erica & Oliver, Clementine & Sam is well crafted. Moriarty always handles dialog well. Will I be hounded off Bookbub Buzz for feeling this book could’ve used more rigorous editing? Unlike her other novels It felt like it went on a bit too long. Still, a good read.
I’m having trouble putting this down and it’s really cold outside
Nope. Not a lovable character to be found. I really had to push myself to finish it. It all revolves around 1 day and evening at a neighborhood acquaintance’s barbecue. Halfway through the book, you STILL do not know what happened at that barbecue and are quickly losing your desire to find out. When you do, it is unsettling but I did not like the way the author (finally) got to it. But, I will admit it could be that I’m not a fan of two things going on at once as present day and flashbacks. Suffice to say, this one will not be making it to my book shelves.
Most boring beginning. It is extremely rare that I don’t finish a book, but I just had to give up on this one!
What to say about this book? I was so excited to begin as it had so much hype surrounding it. I had heard film rights had been bought so it must not be a bad book right? Hmmm the first half of the book hints about something that happened at a BBQ. It is not until about I would say halfway through the book chapter 9 when the event comes into focus. So you keep reading. The full answer to the event of the BBQ actually is not fully revealed until almost the end of the book. This book tries to be so ambitious tackling such issues as hoarding, marital relationships, friendships, trust. I finished the book only because I do not like to leave things unfinished. It was OK in my opinion. Not really living up to the hype it was given. The epilogue left me feeling flat after investing so much time in these characters. Just sort of no happy ending everyone just went on their own way.