E. Lockhart’sWe Were Liarswas a huge hit when it debuted back in 2014, withthe book’s great ending twist cementing its legacyfor years to come. It’s no surprise, then, that Prime Video picked the novel up for an adaptation. And with itsWe Were LiarsTV showpremiering this month, Lockhart’s story is once again receiving attention.
Much of that has to do withWe Were Liars' brilliant ending, which is just as shocking and devastating in the show. For readers, the adaptation lives up to the source material. And those experiencing the story for the first time are realizing that it’s much deeper than your average summer thriller.
That said,We Were Liarsmay leave fans looking for similar stories to dig into, whether they’re just finishing the book or wrapping up the TV show. Fortunately, there are quite a few great stories that make perfect follow-ups.
10Family Of Liars
By E. Lockhart
No matter which version ofWe Were Liarsyou enjoyed, the author’s prequel novel will make a solid follow-up. Arriving eight years after the first book,Family of Liarsbrought readers back to Beechwood Island, this time following the previous generation of Sinclairs — most notably, Johnny’s mother, Carrie.
As it turns out, the Liars' mothers also had an eventful year wrought with tragedy and secrets when they were teens, and that’s alluded to in the Prime Video series. Those wonderingwhat happened to Rosemary Sinclairafter the adaptation can dig intoFamily of Liarsto learn more about the Sinclairs' history. It also offers another twisty narrative with a familiar setting and cast of characters.
9Dangerous Girls
By Abigail Haas
Those looking for another beachy YA thriller on the heels ofWe Were Liarsshould check outDangerous Girlsby Abigail Haas. The novel follows Anna, who finds herself trapped in Aruba after a spring break gone horribly awry. When her best friend, Elise, is killed, accusations are hurled at Anna, leaving whether she’ll be able to return home in question.
Those who enjoy complicated teen friendships, shocking secrets, and a main character you can’t fully trust will appreciateDangerous Girls.
With so much on the line, Anna sets out to uncover who actually murdered Elise — andthe book’s twist is as disturbing and surprising as that ofWe Were Liars.Those who enjoy complicated teen friendships, shocking secrets, and a main character you can’t fully trust will appreciateDangerous Girls.It’s been a while since it came out, but much of it holds up.
By Rebecca Barrow
Another island thriller aimed at young adults,Bad Things Happen Hereby Rebecca Barrow follows a main character who resides on a seemingly perfect island— though unlikeWe Were Liars' Cady, she doesn’t see it that way. Luca knows all too well that Parris is an island with a disturbing history of young women dying, as her best friend fell victim to its “curse.”
When the island claims Luca’s sister as well, she’s thrown into an investigation that forces her to face unpleasant truths.Barrow’s novel has many of the same strengths thatWe Were Liars' has, just in a different package. There’s grief, there are disturbing secrets, and there’s an island setting that beautifully contrasts the sinister happenings of the story.
7Monday’s Not Coming
By Tiffany D. Jackson
Those who appreciateWe Were Liars' exploration of grief and what it can do to the human mind and memory will find a similar conversation happening in Tiffany D. Jackson’sMonday’s Not Coming. To be clear,Monday’s Not Comingdoesn’t take place in a luxurious vacation setting, andit tackles heavier themes thanWe Were Liars, including the impact of poverty and race on missing-persons cases.
Like Cady, Claudia is trying to unravel the truth behind a serious situation.
However,its main character’s struggle feels at least a little reminiscent of Cady’s. Like Cady, Claudia is trying to unravel the truth behind a serious situation — in this case, the disappearance of her best friend, Monday. The people around Claudia seem to be hiding things from her, and her investigation leads to an emotional outcome thatWe Were Liarsfans are bound to appreciate.
6One Of Us Is Lying
By Karen M. McManus
Those who want another incredible twist akin toWe Were Liars’ending should pick upOne of Us Is Lyingby Karen M. McManus. The bones of this story are very different from those ofWe Were Liars,butit will keep readers questioning everything and everyone — and still upend all their expectationswith its big reveal.
Karen M. McManus has written two sequels toOne of Us Is Lying:One of Us Is NextandOne of Us Is Back.
The premise ofOne of Us Is Lyingrevolves around a teenage boy who dies during detention, just as he was about to share major gossip on his blog. This makes the other students in detention look suspicious, and it forces them to figure out who is responsible for Simon’s death. The answer to this question is one readers aren’t likely to guess, andit’ll leave them reeling long after the book is done.
5Secrets So Deep
By Ginny Myers Sain
Another book about a girl attempting to recover her memories after a tragedy,Secrets So Deepby Ginny Myers Sain features several elements that make it a great follow-up toWe Were Liars.The book follows Avril, whose mother drowned at a place called Whisper Cove theater camp 12 years earlier. Although the incident was ruled an accident, Avril isn’t convinced.
Like Cady, Avril only has partial memories of what happened the night her mother died — though this has to do with age and trauma rather than a brain injury. But it makes Avril’s return to Whisper Cove and dedication to learning the truth significantly more complicated. And with the supernatural elements of the story,Secrets So Deephas quite a few things in common with Lockhart’s novel.
4The Reunion
By Kit Frick
Readers looking for more family drama and another beachy setting will find both in Kit Frick’sThe Reunion, another promising book to read afterWe Were Liars. The Reunionfinds the Mayweather family coming together in Cancún, Mexico, where they’re supposed to engage in some family bonding to celebrate a recent engagement.
The secret-keeping, familial conflicts, and tragedy also give it plenty in common withWe Were Liars.
However, it’s apparent that the characters partaking in this reunion have some major secrets, as well as tensions between themselves. This leads to a death by the time the reunion is over, leading many to compare this YA novel toThe White Lotus.The secret-keeping, familial conflicts, and tragedy also give it plenty in common withWe Were Liars,making it a must-read for fans.
3Don’t Let The Forest In
By C.G. Drews
C.G. Drews’Don’t Let the Forest Inis more horror than thriller, butthis brilliant young adult novel grapples with grief in a way that’s just as harrowing asWe Were Liars. Don’t Let the Forest Infollows troubled teen Andrew as he returns to boarding school, only to learn that his best friend’s drawings are coming to life.
Andrew and Thomas must deal with the monsters emerging thanks to the latter’s artwork, but they also must grapple with big feelings surrounding their relationship, mental health, and an incident that happened the year prior. It becomes increasingly obvious that Andrew is keeping the truth of that incident at bay, andhis eventual revelation is about as devastating as Cady’s inWe Were Liars.
2Little Fires Everywhere
By Celeste Ng
Readers looking for adult books that feel likeWe Were Liarscould give Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere a try — though be warned, this is more of a slow burn than a fast-paced thriller. Even so,Little Fires Everywhereopens with a fire borne of frustration, and thenit goes on to unpack complicated family dynamics throughout its 300+ pages.
Those who appreciated the privileged problems of the Sinclairs and their subsequent interpersonal problems will no doubt like that aspect ofLittle Fires Everywhere.The novel also puts an emphasis on relationships between mothers and their daughters. It digs deeper into race and class thanWe Were Liars, though, giving readers something extra to take away.
1Big Little Lies
By Liane Moriarty
We Were Liars’focus on deceptiongives it a similar feel toBig Little Lies, which makes Liane Moriarty’s novel another adult story that might appeal to fans of Lockhart’s book. LikeWe Were Liars,Big Little Liesis upfront that its story ends in tragedy. However,it pulls something similar to Lockhart’s novel by shielding the details of its central incident from readers.
This ramps up the tensions as readers follow the privileged main characters and uncover their secrets, some of which are darker than expected. In that way,Big Little Lieshas a similar appeal toWe Were Liars.Those looking for a more mature spin on Lockhart’s story should give Moriarty’s a shot.
