Book Review: Writers and Liars

Fifteen years ago, Maia Gold attended a prestigious (and very exclusive) writers retreat hosted by billionaire Argos Alexander on the Greek island of Eris. It’s where she wrote her first book, the one that should have launched a brilliant career. But something dark happened on that island, a betrayal that has hung over Maia ever since.

Now, Maia finds a familiar envelope in the mail. It’s an invitation to return to Eris, and according to social media, she’s not the only one from that first retreat who’s been invited back. Almost all of the writers from fifteen years before have returned to Eris, bringing unresolved resentments with them. This could be the second chance Maia needs to jump-start her dreams. A chance for reconciliation… or revenge.

Their illustrious host is absent, though he has left instructions for them to participate in a contest: whoever can write the most suspenseful mystery while on the island will win a fortune and literary acclaim. But this is no harmless game; when the guests gather in the morning to share their first chapters, they find Argos Alexander, dead. Tensions simmer as the guests try to determine who’s capable of murder, not just on the page, but in real life.

Writers and Liars by Carol Goodman will be published July 15, 2025. William Morrow provided an early galley for review.

This is my second mystery in the span of the month involving a gathering of writers. Must be something in the air. Nonetheless, I am very much into this mix of elements.

Goodman fully embraces Greek mythology and history in this story, another literary area that has always fascinated me. Those references accent the flavor of the tale generously throughout. Her setting of the Greek Islands is vibrant, creating a classic stage upon which a classic theme of revenge can unfold.

There are some spots, however, where the dialogue gets repetitive (characters repeating revelations, for example) which tends to be a bit tiresome. And while things really kick into gear in the final quarter of the book, the big twists were not too surprising for me (I tend to read a lot, especially in this genre). Still, if one is not reading on a critical level, the story does it job to entertain and thrill.