book review the apple never falls

Apples Never Fall

Liane moriarty.

467 pages, Hardcover

First published September 14, 2021

About the author

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think? Rate this book Write a Review

Friends & Following

Community reviews.

Join the discussion

Can't find what you're looking for.

• ADMIN AREA MY BOOKSHELF MY DASHBOARD MY PROFILE SIGN OUT SIGN IN

Awards & Accolades

Our Verdict

New York Times Bestseller

IndieBound Bestseller

APPLES NEVER FALL

by Liane Moriarty ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 14, 2021

Funny, sad, astute, occasionally creepy, and slyly irresistible.

Australian novelist Moriarty combines domestic realism and noirish mystery in this story about the events surrounding a 69-year-old Sydney woman’s disappearance.

Joy and Stan Delaney met as champion tennis players more than 50 years ago and ran a well-regarded tennis academy until their recent retirement. Their long, complicated marriage has been filled with perhaps as much passion for the game of tennis as for each other or their children. When Joy disappears on Feb. 14, 2020 (note the date), the last text she sends to her now-grown kids—bohemian Amy, passive Logan, flashy Troy, and migraine-suffering Brooke—is too garbled by autocorrect to decipher and stubborn Stan refuses to accept that there might be a problem. But days pass and Joy remains missing and uncharacteristically silent. As worrisome details come to light, the police become involved. The structure follows the pattern of Big Little Lies (2014) by setting up a mystery and then jumping months into the past to unravel it. Here, Moriarty returns to the day a stranger named Savannah turned up bleeding on the Delaneys’ doorstep and Joy welcomed her to stay for an extended visit. Who is Savannah? Whether she’s innocent, scamming, or something else remains unclear on many levels. Moriarty is a master of ambiguity and also of the small, telling detail like a tossed tennis racket or the repeated appearance of apple crumble. Starting with the abandoned bike that's found by a passing motorist on the first page, the evidence that accumulates around what happened to Joy constantly challenges the reader both to notice which minor details (and characters) matter and to distinguish between red herrings and buried clues. The ultimate reveal is satisfying, if troubling. But Moriarty’s main focus, which she approaches from countless familiar and unexpected angles, is the mystery of family and what it means to be a parent, child, or sibling in the Delaney family—or in any family, for that matter.

Pub Date: Sept. 14, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-250-22025-7

Page Count: 480

Publisher: Henry Holt

Review Posted Online: June 15, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2021

THRILLER | FAMILY LIFE & FRIENDSHIP | GENERAL & DOMESTIC THRILLER | GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE | GENERAL FICTION

Share your opinion of this book

More by Liane Moriarty

BOOK REVIEW

by Liane Moriarty

More About This Book

SEEN & HEARD

BOOK TO SCREEN

NOW OR NEVER

by Janet Evanovich ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 5, 2024

As usual, Evanovich handles the funny stuff better (much better) than the mystery stuff.

Stephanie Plum’s 31st adventure shows that Trenton’s preeminent fugitive-apprehension agent still has plenty of tricks up her sleeve, and needs every one of them.

The current caseload for Stephanie and Lula—the ex-prostitute file clerk at her cousin Vincent Plum’s bail bonds company, who serves as her unflappable sidekick—begins with two “failures to appear.” Eugene Fleck is suspected of being Robin Hoodie, who robs from the rich and, yes, distributes the proceeds to the poor. Racketeer Bruno Jug, who’s missed his court date on charges of tax evasion, is also suspected of drugging and raping a 14-year-old. But neither of these fugitives can hold a candle to Zoran Djordjevic, aka Fang, a self-proclaimed vampire wanted in connection with the gruesome fate of his late wife and three other missing women. As usual, Stephanie’s personal life is just as helter-skelter as her professional life as a bounty hunter. She’s managed to get herself engaged both to Det. Joe Morelli, of the Trenton PD, and Ranger, a former Special Forces agent who runs a private security firm; she thinks she may be pregnant; and she’s willing to marry the father, whichever of her fiances that turns out to be. On top of it all, her nothingburger schoolmate Herbert Slovinski suddenly pops up at one of the funerals she ferries her Grandma Mazur to, hitting on her relentlessly and gilding his importunities by cleaning and painting her shabby apartment and laying new carpet. Luckily, Lula’s on hand to offer cupcakes that stave off the worst disasters, and whenever this hodgepodge threatens to slow down, another FTA appears, or fails to appear.

Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024

ISBN: 9781668003138

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Atria

Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024

THRILLER | MYSTERY & DETECTIVE | DETECTIVES & PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS

More by Janet Evanovich

by Janet Evanovich & Phoef Sutton

by Janet Evanovich ; Lee Goldberg

by Janet Evanovich Lee Goldberg

THE SILENT PATIENT

by Alex Michaelides ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 5, 2019

Amateurish, with a twist savvy readers will see coming from a mile away.

A woman accused of shooting her husband six times in the face refuses to speak.

"Alicia Berenson was thirty-three years old when she killed her husband. They had been married for seven years. They were both artists—Alicia was a painter, and Gabriel was a well-known fashion photographer." Michaelides' debut is narrated in the voice of psychotherapist Theo Faber, who applies for a job at the institution where Alicia is incarcerated because he's fascinated with her case and believes he will be able to get her to talk. The narration of the increasingly unrealistic events that follow is interwoven with excerpts from Alicia's diary. Ah, yes, the old interwoven diary trick. When you read Alicia's diary you'll conclude the woman could well have been a novelist instead of a painter because it contains page after page of detailed dialogue, scenes, and conversations quite unlike those in any journal you've ever seen. " 'What's the matter?' 'I can't talk about it on the phone, I need to see you.' 'It's just—I'm not sure I can make it up to Cambridge at the minute.' 'I'll come to you. This afternoon. Okay?' Something in Paul's voice made me agree without thinking about it. He sounded desperate. 'Okay. Are you sure you can't tell me about it now?' 'I'll see you later.' Paul hung up." Wouldn't all this appear in a diary as "Paul wouldn't tell me what was wrong"? An even more improbable entry is the one that pins the tail on the killer. While much of the book is clumsy, contrived, and silly, it is while reading passages of the diary that one may actually find oneself laughing out loud.

Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-250-30169-7

Page Count: 304

Publisher: Celadon Books

Review Posted Online: Nov. 3, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2018

GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE | SUSPENSE | THRILLER | SUSPENSE | PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

More by Alex Michaelides

by Alex Michaelides

• Discover Books Fiction Thriller & Suspense Mystery & Detective Romance Science Fiction & Fantasy Nonfiction Biography & Memoir Teens & Young Adult Children's
• News & Features Bestsellers Book Lists Profiles Perspectives Awards Seen & Heard Book to Screen Kirkus TV videos In the News
• Kirkus Prize Winners & Finalists About the Kirkus Prize Kirkus Prize Judges
• Magazine Current Issue All Issues Manage My Subscription Subscribe
• Writers’ Center Hire a Professional Book Editor Get Your Book Reviewed Advertise Your Book Launch a Pro Connect Author Page Learn About The Book Industry
• More Kirkus Diversity Collections Kirkus Pro Connect My Account/Login
• About Kirkus History Our Team Contest FAQ Press Center Info For Publishers
• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Reprints, Permission & Excerpting Policy

© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC.   All Rights Reserved.

Popular in this Genre

Hey there, book lover.

We’re glad you found a book that interests you!

Please select an existing bookshelf

Create a new bookshelf.

We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!

Please sign up to continue.

It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!

Already have an account? Log in.

Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.

Almost there!

• Industry Professional

Welcome Back!

Sign in using your Kirkus account

Contact us: 1-800-316-9361 or email [email protected].

Don’t fret. We’ll find you.

Magazine Subscribers ( How to Find Your Reader Number )

If You’ve Purchased Author Services

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up.

Advertisement

Supported by

Liane Moriarty’s New Novel Is a Family Saga and a Mystery

• Share full article

By Ivy Pochoda

• Sept. 12, 2021

APPLES NEVER FALL By Liane Moriarty

I couldn’t quite square the title of Liane Moriarty’s new novel, “Apples Never Fall,” with the family story it unfurls. When we meet the Delaneys — petite, spunky Joy and her hulking bear of a husband, Stan, both former Australian tennis stars — they’ve logged nearly 50 years of a passionate yet complex marriage. Their union seems perfect both on and off the court — that is, until Joy goes missing a few months before her 70th birthday.

For decades, the Delaneys dominated mixed doubles and celebrated their wins with rowdy displays of affection that raised eyebrows in the clubhouse. But after selling their tennis academy they’ve had too much energy and too little purpose. While Stan simmers in front of the television, Joy putters about, baffled by her four towering, worrisome children, whose failure to produce a single offspring enrages her. The kids have disappointed Stan too. Despite their athletic prowess none of them made it to center court at Wimbledon — a tall order, if you ask me. The senior Delaneys may have been inspired and crafty on court, but at home they give in to crude laments that their apples have fallen so far afield.

Despite their occasional mind-blowing sex — Moriarty is wonderfully generous with septuagenarian passion — there’s something rotten at the core of this marriage, something having to do with Stan’s former protégé Harry Haddad — a Grand Slam champion on the comeback trail who is about to release a memoir. Harry, a rival of the younger Delaneys both on the court and for their father’s affection, defected from their parents’ academy at the age of 17 to train at Tennis Australia, breaking Stan’s heart. No one, it seems, likes Harry.

As in her best-selling “Big Little Lies,” Moriarty toggles back and forth between present and past, between the search for Joy and the period before her disappearance when a mysterious young woman named Savannah turned up on the Delaneys’ doorstep. (She was on the run from an abusive boyfriend, or so she claimed.) Thrilled by her obsessive attention to them and oblivious to her game plan, the couple moved Savannah into their house. Why their kids weren’t equally excited by the girl’s presence, Stan and Joy couldn’t quite fathom — although as their fellow Aussies might say, it’s bleeding obvious.

As furious as the Delaney children were about the family interloper, they remain oddly blasé about their mother’s disappearance. “Our mother is possibly missing,” one of them tells an eavesdropping waitress. “We have temporarily mislaid our mother.” Even as the clues pile up, Joy’s vanishing seems more curious than urgent — a signal that if you’re expecting the Night Stalker, you won’t find him in this Sydney suburb. And while there is indeed an investigation into Joy’s disappearance, it feels more like an afterthought than a pressing matter, perhaps just an excuse for introducing a little ethnic diversity in the form of two detectives. (Moriarty often gives issues of race a sidelong glance while parsing the class distinctions among whites with razor-sharp precision.)

Where she excels is in the way all of her characters spring from the page so fully formed that I would feel comfortable selecting their clothes, ordering their meals and guessing their attitudes toward the newest releases on Netflix. The Delaney kids might seem to be stock figures — Amy, the troubled artsy one; Troy, the philandering highflier; Brooke, the driven businesswoman unlucky in love; and Logan, the sloppy bro with a heart of gold — but Moriarty layers them with experiences, mistakes and struggles that give them dimension.

While “Apples Never Fall” may follow the same playbook as Moriarty’s previous novels, it lacks the nasty delights of “Nine Perfect Strangers” and the simmering class and sexual tension of “Big Little Lies.” Since I am a sucker for a juicy sports novel, I’d hoped the pressure cooker of competitive tennis would heat things up, but Moriarty keeps the game offstage. “Apples Never Fall” is essentially two novels rolled into one — a wifty 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. The real standout here is Joy. Just as she did with the sharp yet gullible Frances Welty in “Nine Perfect Strangers” (as superb a depiction of a novelist as you will find in contemporary fiction), Moriarty once again shows her mastery with the inner working of women of a certain age — their acuity, experience and ugly thoughts.

Initially, I was inclined to underestimate Joy. How disappointing that this once fierce tennis star has been reduced to a passive base-liner in her own home, patty-caking away her husband’s stubborn sullenness, deflecting all conflict and losing confidence in her own skills, worried that “her frontal lobe was atrophying.” But Moriarty proves to be subtle, sly and one step ahead of skeptics: Joy’s passivity is the story’s latent engine, masking her secrets and her secret resentments. Stan, too, is more than he seems. I was too quick to write him off as a typical brooding, moody former coach, looking back on the not-so-good old days with a disappointed eye. As the Delaney children begin to re-examine their parents’ marriage, we discover a depth to Stan’s silences and a wrenching rationale to his distance.

While Stan and Joy’s relationship is revealed with unerring precision, Moriarty stumbles with Savannah, the purported villainess. She’s a blurry psychopath, sometimes a cunning little vixen, sometimes a sad grifter, sometimes a damaged child. When the truth about her connection to the Delaneys comes to light, it seems both unbelievable and undercooked. Suffice to say, she has a small, irrelevant ax to grind.

The novel’s focus starts to meander in the last third. As Moriarty juggles two prime suspects, we lose sight of the family dynamic, which is the more compelling part of the story. Instead of a nail-biting fifth set, we are served up a handicap round robin played at the local club in which a whole bunch of cute clues and red herrings coalesce into a comical explanation of Joy’s fate. If it is the bad habit of many modern readers (I am one) to expect or even to crave violence, Moriarty is not here to fulfill that wish, nor should she be. But after nearly 400 pages of cliffhangers, I was hoping for a resolution with a little more bite. What Moriarty is after is something else altogether. She ends with revelations that love is hard, mistakes are necessary and betrayals large and small are unavoidable facts of family life. And indeed, apples do fall far from their trees, as they should.

Ivy Pochoda’s most recent novel is “These Women.”

APPLES NEVER FALL By Liane Moriarty 480 pp. Henry Holt & Company. $28.99.

Explore More in Books

Want to know about the best books to read and the latest news start here..

10 Best Books of 2024:  The staff of The New York Times Book Review has chosen the year’s top fiction and nonfiction . For even more great reads, take a spin through all 100 Notable Books of 2024 .

Falling in Love With a Poem:  “Romantic Poet,” by Diane Seuss, is one of the best things that our critic A.O. Scott read (and reread) this year .

A Book Tour With a Side of Fried Rice:  Curtis Chin’s memoir, “Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant,” celebrates the cuisine and community of his youth . Now he’s paying it forward.

Cormac McCarthy’s Secret:  Revelations about a relationship between the author and a girl who was 16 when they met shocked readers, but not scholars of his work. Now there’s a debate about how much she influenced his writing .

The Book Review Podcast:  Each week, top authors and critics talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .

Advertise   Contact   Privacy

Browse All Reviews

New Releases

List Reviews by Rating

List Reviews by Author

List Reviews by Title

Apples Never Fall (Review, Recap & Full Summary)

By liane moriarty.

Book review, full book summary and synopsis for Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty, a family drama about four siblings, their missing mother and a stranger who shows up at their door.

Apples Never Fall follows the four Delaney siblings after the disappearance of their mother, Joy Delaney. The police soon identify their father, Stan, as a possible person of interest in her case.

As they try to unravel the mystery of what happened to her or where she went, the four siblings -- Troy, Brooke, Logan and Amy -- are forced to confront truths about their relationships with each other, with their significant others, with their parents and about their parents' marriage.

To complicate matters, there's also a strange young woman who showed up at Stan and Joy Delaney's door a while back, and who is now nowhere to be found...

(The Full Plot Summary is also available, below)

Full Plot Summary

The one-paragraph version: Joy Delany goes missing, and her husband Stan is the prime suspect. Joy and Stan used to run a tennis school but are now retired. As her kids try to find out what happened, they end up confronting their own issues and in their relationships with each other. Last September, a young woman named Savannah showed up asking for help stayed with Stan and Joy for a while. It turns out that Savannah is the sibling of Harry Haddad, a former star student who is now a famous tennis player. She drops a bombshell that Joy is the reason that Harry left their tennis school. That revelation causes Joy and Stan to confront the issues in their marriage. In the end, Stan is almost arrested, but then it turns out Joy is alive when she returns from a 3-week off-the-grid trip with Savannah. She needed some time apart before returning to work on their marriage. The book ends with Savannah going home to confront her own mother.

The book opens with the discovery of a bike near the side of the road and four apples next to it. It then jumps to present day, the four Delaney siblings -- Brooke (29), Troy (early 30s), Logan (37), Amy (39) -- discussing the disappearance of their mother, Joy Delaney , who appears to have ridden off on her bike a week ago. She sent them a text message full of gibberish and hasn't been reachable since. They're worried that if they go to the police, the main suspect will be their father, Stan , since Joy and Stan had a fight before the disappearance.

Joy and Stan are retirees that used to run a tennis school. Stan did the coaching while Joy ran the busines. In their younger years, they played competitively until Stan was injured. All their kids also played and excelled at tennis, however, none of them made it to the top of the sport for various reasons. Amy got too "in her head" about it, Logan never "truly committed" to the sport, Troy was too show-off-y and not strategic enough, and Brooke got migraines that ended her career.

As the book jumps back and forth in time, it's revealed that last September, a young woman named Savannah Pagonis showed up at Stan and Joy's door, saying that she ended up here randomly since she didn't know where to go after getting into a fight with her boyfriend who hit her. Stan and Joy let her stay the night, and they eventually invite her to stay until she's sorted out. They tell Troy and Logan accompany her to her old apartment to pick up her stuff, where they have a brief but non-violent run-in with her ex-boyfriend, Dave . As Savannah stays with them, Joy is delighted that Savannah cooks for them, a task Joy has always hated.

Meanwhile, on the news, there are reports of a comeback for tennis star Harry Haddad. Harry is a former star student of Stan's, and the subject is a sore spot for Stan because Harry ditched him as a coach before he got really famous. Stan thinks he could've gotten Harry even further if he'd remained his coach.

In present day, the siblings end up going to the police and Detective Christina Khoury and Constable Ethan Lim start to investigate. As they gather evidence, they see the scratches on Stan's face and that Joy made a lengthy phone call to another man, a Dr. Henry Edgeworth , the day she left. They haven't been able to contact Henry yet. The siblings also try to track down Savannah, who is nowhere to be found. They also find Joy's phone underneath the bed in their parents' room.

Flashing back to September, the book also follows each of the siblings' lives as this is going on. Brooke runs a physiotherapy clinic and is currently separated from her husband Grant . Despite her migraines, she has always been the most resilient and responsible sibling. Logan teaches at a community college. His girlfriend Indira has recently left him after saying he was too passive and didn't want her enough. Troy is wealthy and works as a trader. He has always been competitive, especially with Logan (who in turn has never cared to compete). Troy's ex-wife Claire has recently asked if she could use their frozen embryos to have a child since she is having difficulty conceiving. He and Claire split because he cheated on her. And Amy is working part-time as a "taste-tester". She has mental ailments which she struggles with and is seeing a therapist ( Roger ) for.

On (Australian) Father's Day (in September), there's a family gathering where Savannah cooks for everyone. Stan and Joy almost get into a fight about how Stan has always seen anything having to do with taking care of the kids as solely her responsibility. However, Logan changes the topic to his breakup with Indira. The family is sad because they all loved her.

Soon, Joy is hospitalized for two days due to a kidney infection. In the interim, the siblings start to suspect that Savannah is a liar when Logan realizes her story about her abusive boyfriend is copied word-for-word from an interview in a documentary. Stan also wants Savannah to leave (which later turns out to be because Savannah tried to come on to him). Soon, Logan finds Dave (Savannah's ex), who says that he never hit Savannah. Dave says he accidentally forgot her birthday, and she walked out when a TV segment about Harry Haddad came on. Meanwhile, Brooke learns that Savannah's last name is fake. Amy learns (with help from a guy named Simon she starts seeing) that Savannah owned a company that was shut down because it sold fraudulent tennis memorabilia. Savannah also finds Troy demands money, saying that Stan was inappropriate with her and that she's going to tell Joy about it unless he pays up. Troy gives her the money.

In present day, Brooke works on finding Stan a lawyer. Meanwhile, the police learn about how Stan has a frustrating habit of leaving, sometimes for days, when he gets angry about stuff. Stan refuses to get a cell phone and doesn't tell anyone where he goes. The kids think that Joy might be gone as "payback" for all those times. As the police investigate, a body is found, but it turns out not to be Joy.

Flashing back to October, with everyone's suspicions about Savannah growing, Joy decides to investigate, too. A search of Savannah's room shows that Savannah has an eating disorder and, more shockingly, that she knows Harry Haddad. At that moment, Savannah admits that she's Harry sister who they met once. The family soon gathers, and Savannah explains to all of them that her parents are divorced. She stayed with her mother and their father took Harry. As a young girl, her mother wanted her to be a ballerina, so she forced Savannah to diet aggressively. One day, she came to the Delaney's house to pick up Harry. She was desperate for some food, but everyone was mean to her and yelled at her. So, she came back to exact her revenge.

While some of the Delaneys are sympathetic (Savannah agrees to return the money she got from Troy), they still tell her she needs to leave. Before she does, Savannah drops the bombshell that Joy is the reason that Harry Haddad ditched Stan as his coach. It turns out that Joy suggested to Harry's dad ( Elias ) that Harry leave because she didn't want Stan to be traveling internationally all the time and leaving her along to raise the kids and run their business. (Joy tells them it was also so he could focus on coaching their kids, but later she admits to herself that it was more for herself and because she was angry at Stan for walking out on her all the time).

Right after Stan learns this upsetting information, he walks out. However, he doesn't get far because he falls in a pothole and injures himself. Instead, he ends up stuck at home recovering. By Christmas, Stan and Joy parents are still not speaking to each other. When the family gathers, Joy burns some food and when Stan is rude about it, Joy destroys a decorative china cat that used to belong to Stan's mother. After that, the siblings stay away from their parents' house for a while.

In present day, more incriminating evidence is found. A bloody t-shirt belonging to Joy is found behind that Delaney house. And a CCTV recording shows Stan putting something bulky rolled up into his car trunk. (Around this time, Logan figures out that he really loves Indira, who has supported him through this ordeal, and, he knows he needed to truly commit to their relationship. He offers to move into a bigger place which she wanted, and he buys a ring to later propose with.)

Flashing back to this past Valentine's Day, Joy wants to give a peace offering to Stan by making some apple crumble pie (which Stan's mother used to make), but her bike gets a flat tire on the way back from the market and she abandons it and the apples by the street.

Instead, Stan and Joy get into a fight when Stan says he's just read Harry's memoir. It mentions that Harry had cheated at tennis as a kid. (Troy had said so in the past, but Stan never believed him and Joy accuses him of choosing Harry over their kids.) It escalates into an argument when Stan accuses Joy of sabotaging him. Joy, however, says that she gave up her profession, for him. She gave up tennis when he got injured and instead ran the business and raised their kids. However, Stan says that she was never good enough to get to the top, and Joy angrily says that he wasn't the best coach for Harry (which she doesn't actually believe). When Stan starts to walk out the door, Joy has finally had enough of him walking out and grabs at him to stop him.

(In that moment, Stan thinks about how his own father had once laid hands on his mother. He thinks about how angry he is and how he is just like his father. However, he also knows his father told him he should just walk away if he's ever in a similar situation, which is why Stan forces himself to walk out.)

In present day, the police show up to arrest Stan, but then Joy Delaney walks in the door, looking confused. She has been on a 21-day off-the-grid retreat with Savannah. Savannah had just so happened to call her after Stan walked out (she was staying with Dr. Henry Edgeworth -- someone else she was getting revenge on -- at the time which is why the police though Joy had chatted with him that day), and Joy had decided she didn't want to be there when he returned. Instead, she wanted to go away for a bit and then come back to work on their marriage. It turns out she had left a note on the fridge for Stan but it fell off and the dog must've eaten it. Her text to the kids also ended up full of typos and autocorrects which is why it was full of gibberish.

Stan soon lets the kids know that their mother is back and there are hugs all around. Stan promises to get a cell phone so he will not be unreachable anymore. He also removed the carpet from their living room (which is what the CCTV footage showed) while she was gone, since Joy has always wanted it gone. He later tells Joy that he "understands" about the Harry Haddad situation, and Joy admits to herself that she gave up tennis because she chose to.

Sometime later, Savannah goes home to Adelaide visit her own mother. She thinks of how her mother forced her to lose weight by locking her in her room as a child without food. When her mother takes her sleeping pills, Savannah drags her into her old room, puts some food and water in there, leaves a note telling her mother to ration it carefully and then locks her in there. She then flies off. The book ends with Savannah returning at a later time, not knowing if her mother is still in there or if she got out or if she's still alive.

For more detail, see the full Chapter-by-Chapter Summary .

If this summary was useful to you, please consider supporting this site by leaving a tip ( $2 , $3 , or $5 ) or joining the Patreon !

Book Review

Apples Never Fall is the newest release from Liane Moriarty, a family drama with a little mystery woven in. Liane Moriarty has been a big name lately with the success of the adaptations of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers .

Apples Never Fall opens after the matriarch of the Delaney family has seemingly gone missing. The four Delaney siblings end up being unsure about whether she left on purpose or if something happened to her, and from there the book follows each of the members of the Delaney family and their relationships with one another. Much of the book is told through flashbacks from before the disappearance that deal with their family dynamics.

So, while the premise of the book is the disappearance, the main substance of the book is a family drama about a group of siblings and their parents who used to run a tennis academy. The story starts off a little slow, but I’d encourage you to stick with it.

In terms of the substance, Apples Never Fall reminds me of a less “weird” version of Nine Perfect Strangers. It has solid characters, interesting and complicated familial relationships, and compelling inter-personal stories — with less of the strange plot twists that Nine Perfect Strangers had. (There is still a little bit of weirdness in it, though, but not as much.)

I love that this has really complex and substantive family drama elements, but it doesn’t feel too “heavy” somehow. I mean this in the best possible way. The book still feels like easy reading and the tone of it isn’t so morose and depressing like many family drama novels. The characters address all these touchy topics, but they don’t sulk or brood over them throughout the book.

I also like that the book ends in a sensible and satisfying way. Even though there’s a little weirdness in the middle, in terms of the main substance and overall narrative of the book, it’s solid.

Some Criticisms

As much as I do like Liane Moriarty’s ability to craft interesting family dynamics, I’m still not entirely sold on the mystery component in her novels. I like that she has some sense of mystery and suspense, I just feel like they get a little wonky sometimes.

Here, the plotline gets a little odd regarding the character of Savannah. Her motivations and justifications for stuff didn’t make a lot of sense to me. It doesn’t really seem like she behaves in any way a human would act. (See the Spoiler-ish Thoughts section, below.) Still, for the most part, I was able to look past it to keep enjoying the book.

More importantly, the overall narrative of the book makes sense (even with some weirdness regarding Savannah’s characterization).

Read it or Skip it?

I liked this book, partially because I had thought that with all of Liane Moriarty’s recent success that she would, quite frankly, just start phoning it in. Instead, with Apples Never Fall , she delivered a new novel that I think is solid. It’s substantive and satisfying, yet easy to read.

The main warning I would provide is that the book starts off a little slow. There’ also a little wonkiness in the plot as far as one of the characters is concerned (Savannah), but I was able to just sort of ignore it and move on.

Fans of Liane Moriarty should definitely read this book. I think you’ll love it. This would be a great book club pick as well. I’d also recommend this to anyone who likes family dramas in general.

As for mystery fans, the mystery elements mostly just provide the framework for the novel, so if that’s what you’re after, perhaps this will be a skip for you. There’s a mystery component, but it’s not the strongest point of the book. But fans of authors like Lisa Jewell (who incorporates heavy family drama elements into her mysteries) may still want to give this one a look.

So, what do you think, is this something you’d read or want to read? Drop a comment below to share your thoughts!

See Apples Never Fall on Amazon.

Spoiler-ish Thoughts

SPOILERS BEGIN HERE. You’ve been warned.

The whole character of Savannah was kind of disappointing. Why would she go seek out a house just cause she got yelled at a few times there? Even if she was a young girl, going into a house full of people you’ve never met before and demanding/stealing food is pretty ridiculous. She’d have to be pretty deranged to later think about that and be angry about them yelling at her. I guess that’s kind of the point, but the fact that the resolution of all the mystery surrounding her is “oh she’s totally insane and nothing she does makes sense” is kind of disappointing.

Plus, all the stuff with her trying to blackmail Troy and hitting on Stan just is so out-of-the-blue.

Beyond that, it’s implausible to me that the Delaneys would bring up Savannah’s name to the police and not bother to mention that Savannah was Harry’s sister. I mean what’s the point of bringing it up to police and having them waste their time tracking her down and not giving them the key piece of information to be able to do it?

Finally, the whole idea that Harry could somehow not find out that Savannah didn’t have cancer (like, he never asked her about it?) for a long time seems pretty implausible. Plus, why would he never mention it to her until the memoir came out?

There’s so many parts of this book I really liked, and I think Liane Moriarty writes fantastic characters with compelling interpersonal narratives, but I do wish this book was a little more neatly plotted in the middle parts.

Apples Never Fall Audiobook Review

Narrated by : Caroline Lee Length : 18 hours 3 minutes

I liked the audiobook, and I thought it was well done. She does a good job with both the slightly sardonic/comical parts as well the more serious parts.

The book is narrated with a lovely, but thick Australian accent. I really enjoy the accent, but I suspect this may be a fairly subjective opinion. I’d recommend giving it a listen to decide if it’s something you’d like listening to for 18 hours.

Hear a sample of the Apples Never Fall audiobook on Libro.fm.

Discussion Questions (Spoilers)

• How did your views of each of the Delaney siblings change as the book went along? Which of the siblings did you relate to or sympathize with the most?
• Which of the family relationships or family dynamics interested you the most? Did you find these relationships believable or relatable?
• In what ways were the Delaney siblings shaped by their parents’ marriage?
• What role did the tennis school play in the Delaneys’ lives and how do you think it shaped them?
• What did you think of Stan and Joy’s marriage? To what extent did you suspect Stan as the book progressed? Would you have considered it a successful marriage (before the events from last October forward)? How did your opinion of their marriage shift throughout the book? What do you think of the sacrifices that Joy made?
• In what ways the characters in this book the products of their parents? In what ways are they not?
• What did you think of the character of Savannah and why do you think she sought out the Delaneys? What did you think about her visiting her mother again? Do you think her motivations make sense?
• What did you think of the ending of the book? Were you surprised by it?

Ending & Explanations

See the Questions, Ending & Explanations for Apples Never Fall

Book Excerpt

Read the first pages of Apples Never Fall

Movie / TV Show Adaptation

See Everything We Know About the 'Apples Never Fall' Adaptation

Related Content

Share this post

In Apples Never Fall , The Delaney family love one another dearly—it’s just that sometimes they want to murder each other . . .

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 grown Delaney siblings.

The Delaney family is a communal foundation. Stan and Joy are the envy of all of their friends. They’re killer on the tennis court, and off it their chemistry is palpable. But after fifty years of marriage, they’ve finally sold their famed tennis academy and are ready to start what should be the golden years of their lives. So why are they so miserable?

The four Delaney children—Amy, Logan, Troy, and Brooke—were tennis stars in their own right, yet as their father will tell you, none of them had what it took to go all the way. But that’s okay, now that they’re all successful grown-ups. Well, that depends on how you define success. No one in the family can really tell you what Troy does, but based on his fancy car and expensive apartment, he seems to do it very well, even if he blew up his perfect marriage. Logan is happy with his routine as a community college professor, but his family finds it easier to communicate with his lovely girlfriend than him. Amy, the eldest, can’t seem to hold down a job or even a lease, but leave it to Brooke, the baby of the family, to be the rock-steady one who is married with a new solo physiotherapy practice . . . which will take off any day now.

One night a stranger named Savannah knocks on Stan and Joy’s door. She says she chose their house because it looked the friendliest. And since Savannah is bleeding after a fight with her boyfriend, the Delaneys are more than happy to give her the small kindness she sorely needs. If only that was all she wanted.

Later, everyone will wonder what exactly went on in that household after Savannah entered their lives that night. Because now Joy is missing, no one knows where Savannah is, and the Delaneys are reexamining their parents’ marriage and their shared family history with fresh, frightened eyes.

Middle of the Night

The Housemaid is Watching

She’s Not Sorry

Darling Girls

Just for the Summer

It Finally Happened + Summer Romances

Best Literary Fiction of 2024 (New & Anticipated)

The Housemaid Book Series Recap

2024’s Best Book Club Books (New & Anticipated)

Bookshelf: Development Diary

Share your thoughts Cancel reply

It seems like an interesting book, will surely check it out. Very well written and detailed review. Thank you.

thanks, Manik!

I read it, I loved it! Especially the end.

The beginning was so slow that I couldn’t continue reading. I think I gave it like 5 chapters/ maybe 90 minutes on Audible….(can’t remember now). All I know is that, when I normally look forward to listening to a book on the way to and from work, I sighed and groaned when I pushed play. That’s when I decided to return it. From the somewhat reluctant tone of your review, it wouldn’t have gotten better – at least not for me. Thanks for sharing!

I disagree with your statement about Savannah being an implausible character because she seeked out the Delaney home of all places. She did not only seek out the Delaneys’. She also went and got revenge on the plastic surgeon who didn’t help her when she was a child. And I’m pretty sure she has a whole list of people that she’s still gonna visit or already has visited. Her whole life is about getting revenge or getting rid of her “hunger”, so I don’t think it’s implausible at all.

I gave up after about 10 chapters. I found it very boring. I kept skipping page after page, it just seemed to drag on into nothing. Sorrt, I think I will stick to Carla Neggars books

Review: Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty is a unique mystery and family drama.

Liane Moriarty is one of my favorite authors. Earlier this year, I ranked her best books and it was a lot of fun to take a look back at some of her previous novels. She already has such an impressive career! She’s written all kinds of novels and of course, is most popular for Big Little Lies , followed closely by Nine Perfect Strangers . I think it’s so neat that her novels are adapted for television. I personally love Big Littles Lies but was not a fan of Nine Perfect Strangers (which made me sad because I truly adore her writing).

Even though Nine Perfect Strangers was a disappointment, I’m been so looking forward to Apples Never Fall . I had a feeling that this was going to be a good one and I really enjoyed it. I did have some minor issues with it but overall, I think this was an entertaining and somewhat emotional read at times. And of course it’s full of her dark humor.

What’s the Story About

The story follows a very competitive family full of tennis players. The Delaneys are mainstays in the community. The parents, Stan and Joy, ran a tennis academy for years and now that they’ve sold it, they’re a bit at a lost of what to do next. It’s also debatable if they’re still in love or actually hate each other.

They have four adult children—Amy, Logan, Troy, and Brooke. Each were tennis stars but none of them made it to the big-time league. While tennis always lingers in the background they’ve also all moved on for the most part. Troy is super successful financial wealthy guy who is both overall confident and completely scared; Brooke just started her own medical practice but suffers from migraines; Logan teaches business at a local community college and seems content but is lying to himself and Amy acts younger than her age with her blue hair and is always on the move but also deals with anxiety and is potentially bipolar.

But one night, a stranger named Savannah knocks on Stan and Joy’s door, changing the course of everyone’s life forever. Eventually Joy goes missing and Stan is the primary suspect.

Where is Joy? Is Stan guilty of murder? And what are Savannah’s true motives?

Family Drama

So I read Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Malibu Rising earlier this year, which also feature four siblings. And what I liked about that one was the fact she really dived into the siblings’ relationships. I think Liane could have focused a little more on how the siblings related to each other as adults. It is there and it’s enough but I did want a little more—especially when you’re dealing with four of them and how they all were involved in tennis. But again, I did think they were interesting.

With Liane, you get an in-depth character study of each character—even minor ones that appear on a page for just a bit. We really dive deep into Joy and Stan’s complicated marriage from being madly in love to outright hate. I felt that Liane did a good job showing how a marriage can slowly unravel and minor grievances can build up over time.

I have complicated feelings about the Savannah character. She definitely throws this family a curveball and I’m still processing all her reveals. But what I will say is that she’s unique and her backstory was quite unexpected.

The overall mystery of what happened to Joy is interesting and goes down unexpected paths.

I’m a huge sports fan (if you follow my Twitter, you’ll notice I post plenty of OU football content this time of year). But I have to say, I don’t care that much for tennis. Not that I actively dislike it but just not interested. But I was engaged with this story about a tennis family, especially as I found their actions bizarre in many ways. The competitiveness is something else that’s for sure. Liane really did her research on the sport and what it takes to be successful.

It’s interesting how the love for tennis defines and also defies them in many ways.

Apples Never Fall is an ideal book club book—there’s so much to discuss and dissect. I can see some readers not loving story choices whereas others completely support it. This one is a complicated novel that is well-written and engaging. I highly recommend! For book clubs, check out my discussion questions here .

You May Also Like

• Member Login
• Library Patron Login
• Access our Top 20 Books of 2024! Access

Book Summary and Reviews of Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

Summary | Reviews | More Information | More Books

Apples Never Fall

by Liane Moriarty

• Critics' Consensus ( 0 ) :
• Readers' Rating ( 2 ) :
• Genre: Thrillers
• Publication Information
• Write a Review
• Buy This Book Amazon Bookshop.org

About this book

Book summary.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers comes a novel that looks at marriage, siblings, and how the people we love the most can hurt us the deepest.

The Delaney family love one another dearly―it's just that sometimes they want to murder each other... 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 grown Delaney siblings. The Delaneys are fixtures in their community. The parents, Stan and Joy, are the envy of all of their friends. They're killers on the tennis court, and off it their chemistry is palpable. But after fifty years of marriage, they've finally sold their famed tennis academy and are ready to start what should be the golden years of their lives. So why are Stan and Joy so miserable? The four Delaney children―Amy, Logan, Troy, and Brooke―were tennis stars in their own right, yet as their father will tell you, none of them had what it took to go all the way. But that's okay, now that they're all successful grown-ups and there is the wonderful possibility of grandchildren on the horizon. One night a stranger named Savannah knocks on Stan and Joy's door, bleeding after a fight with her boyfriend. The Delaneys are more than happy to give her the small kindness she sorely needs. If only that was all she wanted. Later, when Joy goes missing, and Savannah is nowhere to be found, the police question the one person who remains: Stan. But for someone who claims to be innocent, he, like many spouses, seems to have a lot to hide. Two of the Delaney children think their father is innocent, two are not so sure―but as the two sides square off against each other in perhaps their biggest match ever, all of the Delaneys will start to reexamine their shared family history in a very new light.

• "Beyond the Book" articles
• Free books to read and review (US only)
• Find books by time period, setting & theme
• Read-alike suggestions by book and author
• Book club discussions
• and much more!
• Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
• More about membership!

Media Reviews

Reader reviews.

"Moriarty is a master of ambiguity and also of the small, telling detail...Funny, sad, astute, occasionally creepy, and slyly irresistible." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "[An] engrossing psychological thriller...Moriarty expertly delves into the innermost thoughts of each of the children, exposing secrets unbeknownst to each other; artfully balances the present-day plot with revealing backstory; and offers several different possibilities for what happened to Joy. Only the overlong conclusion disappoints. Moriarty's superb storytelling continues to shine." - Publishers Weekly "I loved it. An absolute page-turner with all the wit and nuance that put Liane Moriarty head and shoulders above the crowd. Liane Moriarty shows once again why she leads the pack." - Jane Harper, New York Times bestselling author of The Dry and The Survivors

Author Information

• Books by this Author

Liane Moriarty Author Biography

Liane Moriarty is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Truly Madly Guilty, Big Little Lies, The Husband's Secret, The Hypnotist's Love Story , and What Alice Forgot . She lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and two children.

Link to Liane Moriarty's Website

Other books by Liane Moriarty at BookBrowse

More Recommendations

Readers also browsed . . ..

• Panther Gap by James A. McLaughlin
• The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
• Ilium by Lea Carpenter
• How Can I Help You by Laura Sims
• Graveyard Shift by M. L. Rio
• Blind Spots by Thomas Mullen
• The Night of Baba Yaga by Akira Otani, Sam Bett
• All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby
• Under This Red Rock by Mindy McGinnis
• The Puzzle Box by Danielle Trussoni

more thrillers...

BookBrowse Book Club

Who Said...

The most successful people are those who are good at plan B

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Big Holiday Wordplay 2024

Your guide to exceptional           books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

Subscribe to receive some of our best reviews, "beyond the book" articles, book club info and giveaways by email.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content

The Gradiva - a lifestyle blog

Apples never fall – book review

Liane Moriarty’s “Apples Never Fall” is a gripping and intricately woven domestic thriller that delves into the complexities of family dynamics and secrets. Moriarty is Known for her ability to create rich characters and compelling narratives, and this novel is no exception. However, there were way too many unnecessary details about the life of the main characters – and not only – for my taste and…patience.

Set in the suburbs of Sydney, Australia, the story revolves around the Delaney family, particularly Stan and Joy, an elderly couple who have been married for decades and run a successful tennis academy. As they enter their later years into the retirement, their once solid marriage begins to show cracks, and their adult children are left to navigate the fallout. Long forgotten acts and failures begin to surface and the relationship is not longer what used to be.

When Joy mysteriously disappears, leaving behind a broken glass table, her family is left to grapple with questions and suspicions.

The story is told from the perspectives of the four Delaney children: Amy, Logan, Troy, and Brooke, each with their unique struggles and secrets.

The exploration of marriage and long-term relationships is another notable aspect of the novel. Moriarty delves into the challenges faced by couples who have been together for decades, highlighting the intricacies of love, resentment, and the choices individuals make to either preserve or redefine their relationships.

Moriarty’s writing style is sometimes captivating, sometimes tiring, and she weaves together multiple storylines, creating a rich tapestry of interconnected lives. However, at some point the story seems to be just a salad of ideas, which apparently were not connected.

Moriarty has a knack for creating relatable and flawed individuals, each with their own quirks and motivations. As the story progresses, the complexities of the Delaney family dynamic and the secrets they harbor come to light, making the characters even more compelling.

Each member of the Delaney family is distinct, flawed, and relatable, allowing readers to connect with their struggles and motivations. The author expertly explores themes of love, loyalty, forgiveness, and the complexity of familial relationships.

The exploration of marriage and long-term relationships is another notable aspect of the novel. Moriarty delves into the challenges faced by couples who have been together for decades, highlighting the intricacies of love, resentment, and the choices individuals make to either preserve or redefine their relationships. The author skillfully navigates these themes, offering readers a poignant and realistic portrayal of marriage.

While “Apples Never Fall” excels in many aspects, some readers might find the plot to be slightly convoluted, with numerous subplots and twists that can be overwhelming at times. Additionally, the resolution of certain storylines may feel rushed or unresolved, leaving readers wanting more closure.

Overall, “Apples Never Fall” is an engaging read that showcases Liane Moriarty’s storytelling prowess. With its well-crafted characters, albeit sometimes boring intricate family dynamics, and a mystery that keeps readers guessing what’s next, the novel is a testament to Moriarty’s ability to captivate and entertain her audience.

The plot is intricately constructed, with twists and turns that keep readers guessing until the final pages. Moriarty skillfully plants seeds of doubt and suspicion, expertly manipulating the reader’s perceptions and expectations. The pacing is steady, gradually building tension as the mystery unfolds.

While “Apples Never Fall” primarily focuses on the Delaney family and their personal struggles, the novel also tackles larger social issues. Moriarty touches on themes such as gender roles, societal expectations, and the challenges faced by women as they navigate career and family life. These elements add depth and relevance to the story, elevating it beyond a simple domestic drama.

However, I have found the pacing to be slow at times, as the book spends considerable time exploring the intricacies of family dynamics and character development. Too many details that don’t help with character description, nor with the plot developing, just waste of readers’ time. Additionally, the resolution of the mystery was not satisfying at all, I for instant would prefer more action-oriented conclusions.

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars, despite minor flaws in pacing and resoution, the book is still worth reading (specially if you just skip the boring parts).

Reader Interactions

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Explore more

• Bookreporter
• ReadingGroupGuides
• AuthorsOnTheWeb

The Book Report Network

Sign up for our newsletters!

Regular Features

Author spotlights, "bookreporter talks to" videos & podcasts, "bookaccino live: a lively talk about books", favorite monthly lists & picks, seasonal features, book festivals, sports features, bookshelves.

• Coming Soon

Newsletters

• Weekly Update
• On Sale This Week

Fall Reading

• Summer Reading
• Spring Preview
• Winter Reading
• Holiday Cheer

Word of Mouth

Submitting a book for review, write the editor, you are here:, apples never fall.

Bestselling author Liane Moriarty returns with APPLES NEVER FALL, a scandalous, page-turning novel about the secrets that threaten to tear apart even the most solid unions --- marriage, parenthood, siblinghood --- and whether or not any of us can ever really remember the past perfectly. Infused with the author’s trademark blend of tension and emotional insight, this book is as intelligent as it is compulsively readable.

The Delaneys are fixtures in their Sydney suburb. Joy and Stan are expert tennis players who used their talents to kickstart a famous tennis academy that not only trained professional players in their early years, but gave their community a place to turn to for sportsmanship, connection and family-friendly fun. Their four children, all former tennis stars, are now successful grownups, each with their own careers, relationships and memories of their childhood spent on the courts.

Now in their late 60s, Joy and Stan have sold their beloved academy and are struggling to adapt to their new roles as retirees. Joy, with her entrepreneurial spirit, has trouble winding down and instead immerses herself in educational podcasts so she can impress her children with her knowledge of their illnesses and careers. Stan, the archetypal sports coach, has turned to watching TV and monitoring the rise of his estranged star student, Harry Haddad.

"With perfectly rendered characters that anchor you to the more explosive, shocking portions of the plot, this is an utterly gripping thrill ride of reveals, betrayals and alliances that is as gobsmacking as it is emotional."

When we meet the Delaney siblings, we begin with free-spirited, possibly mentally ill Amy, who is perpetually between jobs, relationships and housing; non-confrontational, complacent Logan, who recently separated from his longtime girlfriend; pompous, wealthy Troy, who splits his time between New York City and Sydney; and physical therapist Brooke, the baby and apple of her father’s eye, the only one he deems a real success for her chosen career’s nearness to sports, though no one knows her marriage is on the brink of divorce.

The children have remained close throughout their adult years, but the reason for their most recent reunion is not a happy one: their mother has gone missing. Even stranger, their father seems unconcerned, even readily admitting that the two fought just before Joy disappeared. As they try to figure out where their mother is, they each recount the last year of their lives, a year fraught with tension, mysterious characters and hard-hitting recollections of their childhoods.

The chapters alternate between the present day and one year earlier, when a young stranger appears on Joy and Stan’s doorstep bloodied and bruised, claiming to have been abused by her boyfriend. The Delaneys have taught many children over the years, so the appearance of a random girl is not terribly unusual. But Savannah claims to have no idea who they are. With little else to occupy their time as retirees, they welcome her into their home, taking advantage of the feeling of a full house after so many years without their own children and no promise of grandchildren on the horizon (something Joy fixates on, though Stan seems ambivalent to the idea of becoming a grandparent). Though their children are initially wary of the battered girl, they eventually warm up to her. Yet one year later, she is completely gone from the picture. It seems impossible that there is no connection between Savannah and Joy vanishing into thin air.

Amy, Logan, Troy and Brooke each grapple with their father’s potential role in their mother’s disappearance. True, he is acting suspiciously, but he has never been violent, and their parents have always been visibly, happily in love. Or have they? Close in age but entirely different in spirit and countenance, each Delaney child seems to have their own idea of their mother, their father and their parents’ marriage. At the same time, they start to realize that while their parents could read their games with perfect accuracy, predicting every shot and planning for every weakness, Joy and Stan were often clueless about their feelings, blinded by a shared love of tennis and the Delaney family legacy on the court. As each child unpacks their own history, their siblings’ history and their father’s possible motive, the Delaneys divide into halves: two children certain that their father is innocent and two just uncertain enough to question everything they thought was true about their family.

What an absolute rollercoaster this book is! Liane Moriarty is a truly gifted writer, perhaps the keenest observer of the human condition writing today, and her ability to peel back the layers of the mostly stereotypical characters (the overachieving daughter, the pompous son, the hard-hearted coach) and find out exactly what makes them tick is unparalleled. The notion of using four adult children, all raised with strict guidelines for success, as protagonists becomes totally fresh in Moriarty’s hands, as each child is written clearly and vividly. Reading about Amy, Logan, Troy and Brooke (and their parents, of course) through one another’s eyes, we get a complete picture of each character, including, most importantly, the things they hide from one another and refuse to admit about themselves.

Exuberant, cleverly constructed and emotionally taut, APPLES NEVER FALL is a damning, eye-opening portrait of a family, as well as a reminder that growing pains are not limited to any age. With perfectly rendered characters that anchor you to the more explosive, shocking portions of the plot, this is an utterly gripping thrill ride of reveals, betrayals and alliances that is as gobsmacking as it is emotional. Adapting any of Moriarty’s novels for the screen seems like an obvious choice, but if anyone in Hollywood is reading this review, believe me, this one needs to be next.

Reviewed by Rebecca Munro on September 24, 2021

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

• Publication Date: July 19, 2022
• Genres: Fiction , Mystery , Psychological Suspense , Psychological Thriller , Suspense , Thriller , Women's Fiction
• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
• ISBN-10: 1250220270
• ISBN-13: 9781250220271

Popular Categories

• Top stories
• Pop culture
• True stories
• Kids & Teens

REVIEW: Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

When Liane Moriarty starts weaving her storytelling magic, none of the normal rules apply. You will find yourself wondering how to define what you’re reading. Is it a compelling family drama? A gripping psychological thriller? A crime novel? A mystery? Domestic noir? All of the above?? (The correct answer is all of the above, plus a whole lot of sparkling humour and astute social commentary.)

Things that shouldn’t work, tend to work perfectly in a Liane Moriarty book. Plot points that would seem unbelievable if served up by literally any other author (other Moriarty sisters notwithstanding) are instead delivered with such graceful aplomb that they seem not only believable, but downright masterful.

Liane Moriarty

And the characters! Liane Moriarty writes characters that are so real and relatable, riddled with so many aching vulnerabilities and charming idiosyncrasies that you cannot help but love them … then she starts planting those insidious little seeds of doubt. Before too long, it dawns on you that some of these characters you love have probably done some terrible things. But which ones? It might be all of them, or none of them, or perhaps the one you love the most? You will not know till you get to the end because the truth is, Liane Moriarty has a streak of wildcard genius that makes it impossible to predict where she will take a story. It’s art!

Okay. Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, perhaps you’d like to know a bit about what Apples Never Fall is about?

This is Liane Moriarty’s ninth novel and, like everything she writes, it’s now my favourite of her novels. I suspect it will remain my favourite of her novels until she writes her next one. As for what it’s about, you could say it’s the story of a family. The Delaneys are a genuinely happy and close-knit family, blessed with talent and privilege … but also shadowed by failure, misunderstandings, unrealised potential and a couple of nuclear grade secrets.

At its heart, Apples Never Fall is the story of Stan and Joy Delaney’s marriage, but it’s also the story of their four adult children, all of them a little lost and broken in their own ways. You might call it a mystery story about what happened to Joy Delaney. Then again, you might call it a gripping drama about a woman named Savannah who shows up on Stan and Joy’s doorstep and is either a) a lost soul in need of protection or b) a con artist with hidden motives or perhaps c) something else entirely unexpected. WHO KNOWS? This is a Moriarty novel, remember? None of the normal rules apply here!

So there you have it. This is a crime/thriller/domestic noir/drama about a family/a marriage/ a mysterious stranger. It’s incredibly suspenseful and at times disturbing, but simultaneously quite funny and charming. Oh, and it’s also about tennis!?

Yes, Apples Never Fall manages to be all of these things and so much more. This book made me chuckle and weep and clench my jaw in an agony of uncertainty. I have never in my life been so consistently and torturously dangled on never-ending tenterhooks, right up until the glorious conclusion. Here is a glimpse into my thought processes whilst reading Apples Never Fall :

Was Joy kidnapped? Did she run away? Was she murdered? (Did Joy ever even exist or is this a Tyler Durden situation?). Has a crime taken place here, or was it a horrible accident? Or is it all some kind of grand master plan unfolding? What the hell happened in the past timeline and what the hell is coming for me in the future timeline? Gah! And also … who on earth is Savannah????

The true genius of Apples Never Fall is that while you’re reading it, you will change your mind about all of the above questions at least a million times. And each time you change your mind you will be CERTAIN you’re right … until the moment doubt creeps back in. Liane Moriarty will play you like a fiddle, because it’s what she does best. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll love every second of it!

Utterly engrossing, clever, audacious and addictive — this is a perfect ten out of ten read for me, just as I always expect from this wonderful author! If this doesn’t end up being adapted as a star studded mini series, I will riot!

— Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty (Pan Macmillan Australia) is out on the 14th of September.

Apples Never Fall

by Liane Moriarty

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...

Order Now Read More

About the Contributor

Sarah McDuling

Sarah McDuling is Booktopia's Category Manager for Children's and Young Adult Books. She has been in the bookselling game for almost a decade and a dedicated booklover since birth (potentially longer). At her happiest when reading a book, Sarah also enjoys talking/writing/tweeting about books. In her spare time, she often likes to buy a lot of books and take photographs of books. You can follow her on Twitter and Instragram @sarahmcduling

Follow Sarah: Twitter

You May Also Like

No comments

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

What's Better Than Books?

Book Reviews, Author Interviews, Guest Posts, Ratings, and More!

#BookReview Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty @HenryHolt #ApplesNeverFall #LianeMoriarty

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Liane Moriarty comes a novel that looks at marriage, siblings, and how the people we love the most can hurt us the deepest

The Delaney family love one another dearly—it’s just that sometimes they want to murder each other . . .

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 grown Delaney siblings.

The Delaneys are fixtures in their community. The parents, Stan and Joy, are the envy of all of their friends. They’re killers on the tennis court, and off it their chemistry is palpable. But after fifty years of marriage, they’ve finally sold their famed tennis academy and are ready to start what should be the golden years of their lives. So why are Stan and Joy so miserable?

The four Delaney children—Amy, Logan, Troy, and Brooke—were tennis stars in their own right, yet as their father will tell you, none of them had what it took to go all the way. But that’s okay, now that they’re all successful grown-ups and there is the wonderful possibility of grandchildren on the horizon.

One night a stranger named Savannah knocks on Stan and Joy’s door, bleeding after a fight with her boyfriend. The Delaneys are more than happy to give her the small kindness she sorely needs. If only that was all she wanted.

Later, when Joy goes missing, and Savannah is nowhere to be found, the police question the one person who remains: Stan. But for someone who claims to be innocent, he, like many spouses, seems to have a lot to hide. Two of the Delaney children think their father is innocent, two are not so sure—but as the two sides square off against each other in perhaps their biggest match ever, all of the Delaneys will start to reexamine their shared family history in a very new light.

Simmering, cunning, and cleverly intricate!

Apples Never Fall is a compelling, character-driven, domestic thriller that takes you into the lives of the Delaney family as they each grapple with sibling rivalry, enduring jealousy, resentments, and long-buried secrets when their matriarch disappears one day leaving behind only a garbled text message and a husband who seems suspiciously guilty of her murder.

The writing is crisp and tight. The characters are envious, secretive, and troubled. And the plot told using a mixture of narrative, police interviews, and alternating timelines, before-and-after the incident is a mysterious tale full of well-timed twists, unforeseen surprises, red herrings, deception, insecurities, and a whole slew of quirky, eccentric personalities.

Overall,   Apples Never Fall  is another addictive, astute, tragically comedic tale by Moriarty that highlights once again her innate ability to delve into all the messy psychological and emotional entanglements that exist between family members and is definitely worthy of its spot on everyone’s must-read list this fall.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

Thank you to Henry Holt and Company for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

About Liane Moriarty

Liane Moriarty is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Big Little Lies, The Husband’s Secret, and Truly Madly Guilty; the New York Times bestsellers Nine Perfect Strangers, What Alice Forgot, and The Last Anniversary; The Hypnotist’s Love Story; and Three Wishes. She lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and two children.

Photo by über photography

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | YouTube

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

2 Comments on #BookReview Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty @HenryHolt #ApplesNeverFall #LianeMoriarty

Great review Zoe, this one sounds right up my alley. I enjoy well written domestic thriller.

I am looking forward to this book and I liked Big Little Lies. Thanks for the review, Zoe

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .