Publication Date: July 15, 2025
In the latest thrilling suspense novel from Mary Higgins Clark Award–winning author Carol Goodman, a group of mystery authors gathers on a secluded Greek island for a writers retreat, only to discover that their enigmatic host has been murdered and everyone present is a suspect.
They’ll kill for inspiration…
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. This could be the second chance Maia needs to jump-start her dreams. A chance for reconciliation… or revenge.
Almost all of the writers from fifteen years before have returned to Eris, bringing unresolved resentments with them. Soon, the guests learn that 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. On an island full of mystery writers, anyone could be the killer—and anyone could be the next victim. Trapped together until the next boat arrives from the mainland, they must sort out old grievances and figure out how to trust one another… or die one by one.
Fifteen years ago, a residency on a Greek island for writers leaves Maia with a broken heart and a sense of betrayal.
When an invitation arrives summoning her back to the island of Eris, she’s more interested in revenge than a creative retreat. Little does she know that she’s not the only one with unfinished business.
Author Carol Goodman embeds Greek mythology in a psychological thriller with Writers and Liars. There are elements similar to those found in an escape room woven into the story, along with an unknown “whodunit” among the visitors.
Told from Maia’s perspective, the island and its illustrious owner, Argos Alexander, seem larger than life. There’s a connection to Maia’s parents that eventually unfolds.
What starts out as a quasi-reunion soon takes a sinister twist as the body count rises. It will take everyone working together in spite of the past to make it out alive.
Writers and Liars features a slow-burning storyline that eventually catches fire, leading to explosive outcomes.
Carol Goodman’s rich and prolific career includes novels such as The Widow’s House and The Night Visitor, winners of the 2018 and 2020 Mary Higgins Clark Award. Her books have been translated into sixteen languages. She lives in the Hudson Valley, NY.
