Let me tell you, I finished Apples Never Fall and instantly messaged my group chat: “You guys have to read this one, it’s a wild ride!” This is my honest review of a book that packs more family drama than my last Thanksgiving. With clever twists, messy secrets, and a whole lot of tennis (yes, tennis), it’s got plenty to keep you turning pages—though, I’ll spill the beans, not every serve is an ace. Grab a snack and get comfy, because this review is going to give you all the juicy details and a few laughs along the way.
Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty: Book Summary
In a nutsheel
‘Apples Never Fall’ is a twisty mystery and family drama by Liane Moriarty—the mastermind behind Big Little Lies. If you like stories with secrets, lies, and arguing siblings, this one delivers. The book follows the Delaney family, former tennis stars with more baggage than my supermarket trip after a diet.
The story kicks off when the Delaney mom, Joy, goes missing in the middle of the night. The four adult Delaney kids have to figure out what happened while sorting through their own pile of issues. Through it all, we get to see themes like family loyalty, trust, jealousy, and regret. Oh, and tennis. Lots of tennis—because in this family, every fight is either on a court or feels like it.
If you love a book that swivels between “who did what” and “how did we all get so messed up,” but without giving away all the juicy stuff too soon, this is for you. And I promise, I didn’t spoil anything!
Family Secrets and Drama: Why We Can’t Look Away
Let’s be honest, nothing spices up a story like a good family secret. In Apples Never Fall, Liane Moriarty gives us enough secrets to fill a fruit basket. There’s the mystery of what really happened to Joy Delaney, the matriarch who disappears, and the family left scrambling to figure out if they should search, cry, or point fingers at each other. Every family member seems to have a closet full of skeletons—some small, some big, and some that might jump out and yell “boo!” if you get too close.
I remember reading this book with my own family nearby. Trust me, after every chapter I kept looking at my brother like, “What have you been hiding?” The Delaneys are both relatable and frustrating, just like real families. They argue about tennis, who forgot to feed the dog, and—of course—buried secrets that come back to haunt them. Each twist adds a new layer of drama, making it almost impossible to put the book down. It’s like one of those reality shows I pretend not to watch, but can’t help but discuss at dinner.
There are plenty of times when the drama feels a bit over the top, though. Sometimes I just wanted to shake the characters and tell them to have a nice, normal chat. But then, where’s the fun in that? If you want realistic family drama that isn’t afraid to get messy, this book delivers… even if it makes you side-eye your own relatives.
Now, let’s see how these secrets shape the Delaneys, as we slide our way into the twisty world of character growth and flaws.
Character Growth and Flaws in Apples Never Fall
Let’s talk about the people in Apples Never Fall. You ever stare at a family and think, ‘Boy, they’ve got it together’? Yeah, that’s not the Delaney’s. Liane Moriarty takes every character, shakes them like a snow globe, and lets all the weird bits float to the top. At first, everyone seems normal—if you count competitive tennis and dodgy breakfast choices as normal. But trust me, the deeper you go, the more you see the cracks.
Stan Delaney, the dad, is a man who acts tough but has the emotional range of a potato. He loves his family, but sometimes he loves winning more. Then there’s Joy, who proves that being a mother doesn’t come with a handbook—unless that handbook is missing half its pages. The four Delaney kids? They’re all grown up, but I’ve seen more maturity at a kid’s birthday party gone wrong. Each one carries baggage, mostly stuffed with past tennis trophies and unresolved anger. Watching them try to deal with family secrets is like watching someone try to win a match with a broken racket.
What I really enjoyed is how Moriarty lets her characters mess up. Nobody is perfect, and some even get worse before they get better. It made me think about my own family. We might not have a murder mystery to solve, but we sure know how to hold a grudge over who ate the last apple.
Next up: let’s sprint into the wild world of pacing and plot twists that kept me guessing and missing sleep like I just drank three espressos.
Pacing and Plot Twists in Apples Never Fall: A Rollercoaster of Suspense
Okay, so, one thing you can’t ignore in Apples Never Fall is the way the story moves…or sometimes takes a nap and wakes up with a cup of coffee. Seriously, one minute I was flying through chapters, my eyes glued to the page, and the next, I was asking myself if it was time for a snack or a nap. The pacing here is unpredictable, sort of like my attempts at jogging — enthusiastic, then suddenly exhausted, then picking up again when a squirrel runs past.
But let’s talk plot twists! The book throws them in like surprise onions in a salad — sometimes they add flavour, sometimes I wish I could pick them out. A few had me gasping loud enough my neighbour texted to check if I was okay. Others felt a little forced, like when I try to pretend I know what’s happening in a cricket match. I respect the ambition, though; these twists keep you on your toes, even if a couple made me scratch my head and check if I missed a page.
If you’re a fan of suspenseful moments and “Wait, what just happened?” scenes, this book does not disappoint. But, a heads up, sometimes the pace goes from lightning speed to molasses slow. Patience is handy here, like trying to assemble flat-pack furniture while hungry.
On that note, get ready to swap mysteries for matches, as we step onto the court and explore tennis as a metaphor for life’s wild serves and sneaky volleys!
Tennis and Life: Apples Never Fall and the Art of the Bounce Back
Have you ever watched tennis and thought, “Hey, my family is just like this match. Only with more yelling and fewer headbands?” Well, Apples Never Fall takes tennis and serves it up as the perfect metaphor for life–and let me tell you, the returns are both emotional and kind of hilarious.
The Delaney family in the book is obsessed with tennis. It’s not just a sport; it’s therapy, battleground, and group activity all rolled into one. Every argument plays out like a heated rally. They volley blame, secrets, and oranges (okay, maybe not the oranges, but you catch my drift). You sense that for the Delaneys, tennis is more than points on the board. It’s about how you handle losing and winning, who cheers you on, and if you remember to bring your own water bottle. (I never do. One match, and my tongue was drier than a grandma’s Facebook post.)
Liane Moriarty uses the tennis metaphor to ask the big questions. Are you playing singles or doubles in your own life? Do you stay on the baseline, or do you rush forward? And most of all: when life lobs something unexpected, do you swing, duck, or just stand there like a confused umpire?
If you like family stories that make you laugh, think, and reconsider your racquet skills, I say grab Apples Never Fall. It’s a winner, even if your backhand isn’t.
Conclusion
Well, that wraps up my review of Apples Never Fall. If you like family drama, secrets, and tennis that actually matters, this book is a good bet. Liane Moriarty throws in wild twists and keeps the pages moving, even if the plot sometimes wobbles like my grandmother’s jelly (which, by the way, is never meant as a compliment). The characters are messy, real, and full of flaws—which sounds just like my last group holiday. But a word of warning: the pacing drags a touch in the middle, and the ending might leave you scratching your head. Still, I enjoyed gossiping with my friends about these characters more than I enjoy actual tennis (which says a lot). If you’re in the mood for a smart family drama with a sporty twist, give it a go. That’s it from me—see you next time, hopefully with fewer secrets and more snacks!
