the setup…
It’s been ten years since we last were in Pirriwee Peninsula, north of Sydney. Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata, and Bonnie have formed an odd friendship after the events of Trivia Night when life changed for all of them. Their children are now in high school and in addition to the typical teenage drama they’re dealing with, all of the women are facing new life challenges. When the school principal receives an unorthodox package with a threat implicating a popular history teacher, the community is up in arms, especially since a few of the teens have encountered a strange man lurking around their school and other haunts.
the heart of the story…
Five minutes in and memories of the world I came to love in Big Little Lies came flooding back! It was like I never left. The women were strangely the same with Madeline still the de facto leader but also remarkable changed because of the events ten years ago. They’re all facing new challenges, some very serious. I loved the new dynamics between the women, bonded but still a little snarky at times.
the narration…
Caroline Lee delivers an outstanding performance in providing nuanced distinctions for each woman and the same stellar storytelling style from the first book. I felt I’d come home again.Ella Le Fournour voiced the teens and she nailed them.
the bottom line…
Even though there’s a lot of drama and characters to manage, it is so well crafted it all melded together rather seamlessly. You don’t have to have read the first book but you’ll miss the richness of the shared experiences of these women that permanently reshaped them. I watched the TV series when it was first released and while the actors replaced the images in my head, my memory was of the book. Loved everything!
Book Info
- Release Date: August 25, 2026
- Series: Big Little Lies #2
- Narrator: Caroline Lee & Ella Le Fournour
- Audio Length: 15 hours, 21 minutes
- Publisher: Random House Audio
Listen to a Sample!
Wonderful review, Jo. I’m looking forward to this even more now! 😀
Thank you, Nicki💜 You’re going to love this!
I’m glad you enjoyed it as much as I did. I hope that there will be a series based on this book – with the original cast!
Thank you, Jodie💜 Season 3 is already in development and is based on this book.
I think I’ll need to reread the first one before I read this!
I highly recommend that, Carol💜
Glad you enjoyed this so much Jonetta. I’m not sure if I read the first book. Definitely haven’t seen the TV adaptation.
Thank you, Joanne💜 You’d never forget these characters.
Excellent review! I’ll have to pick these up sometime.
Anne – Books of My Heart
Thank you, Anne💜 Family drama at its best.
I loved the tv series. It sounds like a worthy follow-up, great review!
Thank you, Inge💜 It was surprisingly easy to keep both separate.
Looking forward to this one.
I think you’ll have a good time, Eva💜
Fantastic review! I’m so glad that it all came back to you — that would be my main worry about picking this book up. Looking forward to reading it!
Thank you, Lisa💜 Believe me, I was worried. I was stunned by how the memories just flooded back in.