In Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies, parents of primary schoolers choose up sides over a bullying issue that escalates when they meet at a school event where alcohol becomes an accelerant in the smoldering fires of deception, tension, and personality clashes. Madeline Martha Mackenzie discovers on the first day that her ex, the man who walked away from parenting over a decade ago, has a child in the same class as her daughter from her new husband. Madeline stirs up controversy when she tries to downplay a suspected bullying incident. Parents refuse to let the school handle things and soon take matters into their own unskilled hands. Pirriwee Public School is situated in a rural coastal town in Australia where surfers and the wealthy share local hangouts like the beachside café called Blue Blues. The narrative alternates between snippets of police interviews and the chronological play of events to arouse the reader’s curiosity. The reader is spurred on to discover the level of crime that marked the final showdown scene. The payoff is well worth the wait. Humanity in all its glory and pettiness blooms in the diverse, thoroughly rich characters and dialogue brought to life in Moriarty’s deft storytelling. I recommend this book for book clubs and avid readers as a real discussion-provoking and entertaining read.
Read an excerpt on Amazon by clicking on the book below.