Apples Never Fall

Book excerpt: SOON TO BE A MAJOR TV SERIES STARRING SAM NEILL AND ANNETTE BENING From the outside, the Delaneys appear to be an enviably contented family. Even after all these years, former tennis coaches Joy and Stan are still winning tournaments, and now that they've sold the family business they have all the time in the world to learn how to 'relax'. Their four adult children are busy living their own lives, and while it could be argued they never quite achieved their destinies, no-one ever says that out loud. But now Joy Delaney has disappeared and her children are re-examining their parents' marriage and their family history with fresh, frightened eyes. Is her disappearance related to their mysterious house guest from last year? Or were things never as rosy as they seemed in the Delaney household? SHORTLISTED FOR THE ABIA GENERAL FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022 Praise for Apples Never Fall 'I loved it. Apples Never Fall is an absolute page-turner with all the wit and nuance that has put Liane Moriarty head and shoulders above the crowd and shows once again why she leads the pack.' - Jane Harper 'Utterly and completely wonderful. I've loved all of Liane's books but Apples Never Fall is next-level writing: an intelligent, forensic portrait of a family' - Marian Keyes 'To say Moriarty nails the zeitgeist is an understatement. In fact, Apples Never Fall takes us right through to the COVID-19 pandemic . . . With her relatable characters, keen eye and complicated story structure, Moriarty has produced yet another great romp.' - Sydney Morning Herald 'Her novels, of course, are highly readable. But to categorise them as beach reads is to dismiss Liane's distinctiveness as a writer - the dark comedy, the razorblade observations, the ever-present sense of aspiration.' - Sun-Herald 'Clever, engaging and funny, Liane Moriarty's new novel, Apples Never Fall is a great read. A razor-sharp dissection of family dynamics over-laid with the mystery of an unexpected disappearance, it kept me captivated.' - Weekend Australian 'Nobody does it better' - Vogue 'Moriarty brings it all together with heartwarming insight and empathy and that wicked final barb.' - Adelaide Advertiser 'Settling in with a new Liane Moriarty novel is a bit like a catch-up with an old friend or binge-watching a favourite series. Time just flies and you can't help but crave more. Moriarty has an incredible talent for building complex, compelling tales loaded with spot-on human interaction, dark and light, as well as drama, suspense and insight. Apples Never Fall delivers again. This could well be her best effort yet. Brilliant.' - Herald Sun 'Moriarty tells a great story, understands her characters and cares about them, too.' - The Washington Post 'Magnificent, pyrotechnic, deliciously theatrical' - Guardian 'Moriarty has an eye for the telling details that rivals Anne Tyler's - and a knack for building suspense.' - People Magazine 'A witty tale of domestic suspense, and a satisfying, layered family drama where the tension comes from the treachery of memory, the specter of generational violence and the effects of decades' worth of unspoken resentments that have curdled over time. . . . Moriarty once again shows her mastery with the inner working of women.' - The New York Times Book Review 'Everything Liane Moriarty touches turns to gold . . . a throwback to her best-known - and most beloved - material: family secrets.' - Entertainment Weekly 'A tour-de-force of a novel; brilliantly plotted and superbly written . . . The tension builds to a conclusion alive with ingenious twists. Smart, sharp and utterly riveting' - Daily Mail