Family intrigue is at the heart of We Fell Apart, full of characters keeping secrets and only one determined to find out the truth.

We spend the summer in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, with 18-year-old Matilda, who has flown in from California on invitation by Kingsley Cello, a world-famous artist and her father that she has never met. On arrival, she learns that he is away for work, but is expected soon.

Through her perspective we see the day-to-day goings-on in the household, and what doesn’t quite gel. The atmosphere at Hidden Beach – the castle compound, where she, her father’s partner and three older teen boys, including her half-brother live – is mysterious. Kingsley is a physically absent main character, but is constantly referred to by everyone. And, the more that Matilda discovers about him, the more the mystery builds and the pace intensifies.

I felt a fairytale quality to the story and, interestingly, it does refer to stories such as Cinderella, Grimm’s The Three Brothers, Greek mythology and Shakespeare to reinforce some contexts. Themes of friendship, found family and trust pulse throughout.

This is a stand-alone novel set in the familiar world of Lockhart’s bestselling We Were Liars and Family of Liars, and fans will delight in revisiting the beachside setting, recognising some family names and falling into the very distinctive, dreamlike writing style. New readers will, no doubt, dive straight into Lockhart’s back catalogue the minute they’ve turned over the final page.

Book review by Alida Galati
Age Guide 13+

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I am the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers We Were Liars and Family of Liars.

The We Were Liars TV show came out in 2025 from Prime Video.

I invented a superhero for DC Comics: Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero.

Other novels: Again Again, Genuine Fraud, Fly on the Wall, Dramarama, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks and the ‘Ruby Oliver’ quartet: The Boyfriend List, The Boy Book, The Treasure Map of Boys, and Real Live Boyfriends. How to Be Bad was co-written with Lauren Myracle and Sarah Mlynowski.

Disreputable History was a Printz Award honor book and a finalist for the National Book Award.

I have a doctorate in English literature from Columbia University. My field was 19th-century British novel. In 2013 I chaired the committee on Young People’s Literature for the National Book Awards.

Visit E Lockhart’s website