The New York Times bestselling author of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, Liane Moriarty, is back with Apples Never Fall, a novel about marriage, memory, and how the people we love the most can hurt us the deepest.If your mother was missing, would you tell the police? Even if the most obvious suspect was your father? This is the dilemma facing the four Delaney siblings. Apples Never Fall follows the Delaney family as they grapple with the aftermath of their mother’s disappearance. When secrets start to unravel, the siblings reexamine their family history in a new light. As mentioned, the differentiation in this type of thriller is the specific focus on interpersonal relationships. Now, it can be any kind of relationship, although familial binds tend to be the primary one. Anything beyond that is up to the author’s discretion. It can be a psychological or a murder mystery. Or, it could even have a hint of dark comedy which, frankly, is a tough tightrope to walk. Whatever the extra additions to the story may be, at its core it’s about the functional dysfunctionality of relationships. That does leave a lot of room for creativity when it comes to writing these types of books. Again, I think after the last few years, we can all agree those types of relationships are important. By now you may be going, “But then why not read about happy functional relationships?” Which is a fair point. There is a certain level of schadenfreude at play here. Think about it; you may not always get along with your sibling. But, at least you don’t always have to help clean up after their murders, amirite? At least I hope not. And if you do, you can keep that to yourself. No need to share with the rest of the class. While we’re on the subject, this doesn’t necessarily mean that it takes place in a home. When I see the word domestic, I automatically think of a locked room or weekend house party situation. So, this is something that required me to think outside my own designated box. While there are books like that, it is not always the case. Hopefully you find a new thriller to pick up and help keep you on the edge of your seat. Be sure to let us know over on social media if you’ve read any of these. You can also tell us about any of your favorites that were left off. Until our path cross again, happy reading!
