Circle of Liars – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: thriller, shocking, nail-biting, high school, guilt.
YA book title: Circle of Liars.
YA author: Kate Francis.
Genre: fiction.
Published by: Usborne.
ISBN: 9781836042389
Recommended for children aged: 13+ year-olds.
First published: Paperback July 2025.
This children’s book is ideal for: Thriller fans.
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Our review:
Seven students and an unassuming bus driver arrived at a seemingly abandoned motel, expecting a trip worthy of a prize-winning Spring Break. Mysterious invitations and a series of disturbing texts reading: “Only one can survive” lead each student to come to terms with their own guilt and slowly cause alliances and rifts to form.
Other than having all attended St Francis High School, these seven are bound by a tragic fire that struck one year prior, taking the lives of three students – Maia, Karl, and Danny. Each of them holds secrets, regrets, and scars from that day; however, someone is determined to make them all public. After realising every inch of the motel is rigged with CCTV cameras and explosives, the Balloon Game no longer seems like just a game.
Team Popular, consisting of Ellis, the school jock; Jax, the wannabe vlogger; and Jade, the nepo-baby, quickly plot and scheme against Team Outsiders, made up of Alex, the tortured musician; Raya, the goth girl; and Ana, the surviving twin sister of fire victim Danny. Caleb is the obvious odd one out and quickly becomes top of the “guiltiest” ranking.
Circle of Liars is a nail-biting thriller of confessions, guilt, and friendship. With dramatic twists and turns, and a swiftly increasing number of sniper victims, the truth about the fire, the students’ guilt from that day, and their true colours will be exposed. This novel is perfect for fans of Netflix’s Pretty Little Liars and Karen M McManus’ One of Us Is Lying.
Many thanks to Usborne for the review copy.
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