Review: Truly Madly Guilty

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty

Rating:★★★

Truly Madly Guilty is a good read that drags you in at the beginning, but then keeps dragging you, bumping you along asphalt for the first half of the book.

It pains me to say, because I love Moriarty, but it was a pretty slow first half when finally Moriarty dropped a precious morsel, a plot twist that appeared around the midwaypoint. It couldn't have come too soon, because I'd kind of grown sick of the word "barbecue". 

The reader was the only person not in on the joke. The whole cast of characters, even strangers in the characters lives knew what had happened at the barbecue - it was constantly alluded to in their internal monologues, and dammit why did they wait so long to tell you! It almost made the reveal taste bitter in your mouth.

But after this midway point where all is apparently revealed, it turns out there are many more twists and turns to come, and the novel becomes another delicious Moriarty tale. 

My favorite thing about Moriarty's novels is her intimate knowledge of her characters. They feel believable; they're real and brimming with the shortcomings of human nature.

I latched on to Erika and Oliver and their adorable quirks that had not-so adorable origins. Clementine and Sam "post-BBQ" pushed me to anger, and "pre-BBQ," if they didn't always warm my cold heart, they certainly drew a stark contrast to the "post-BBQ" couple they became. Tiffany and Vid I loved, probably because they remind me so much of my extended family who are all born hostesses. True "people" people.

This one is more character driven than Big Little Lies or The Hypnotists Love Story, but is enjoyable once you adjust to the pace of the lagging beginning, and break through to the other side