Apples Never Fall

4/5 stars

The Delaneys live for tennis. Stan and Joy have been fixtures in the community even after selling their tennis school. Their four grown children have long given up playing competitively, but tennis will always be a part of their family. One night, a stranger appears on Stan and Joy’s doorstep. At first, Savannah seems like an innocent young woman, but as time goes on, they realize she may not have chosen their home randomly. Joy eventually goes missing and the police are convinced Stan is involved. Perhaps their strange house guest has something to do with the disappearance. If only they could find her.

Moriaty’s books always hook me. Apples Never Fall was no different. I love a good domestic thriller and this gave me what I was looking for. There was a lot of mystery surrounding Joy’s disappearance. I liked how there were many characters that each helped tell the story. Even minor characters had important details about the case. Much like in real life, even the most mundane information could change the course of the investigation. 

While the book is long, I thought it was paced well and I remained invested in the story. I think the switching perspectives helped with this. Every character had some backstory that made them interesting and integral to the plot. Moriarty did a great job at weaving together all of these characters and showing how moments that mean nothing to us may mean everything to someone else. 

The ending kind of lost me. It was clever and well-written, but a bit of a letdown. For a story of such length and mystery, I found myself thinking, “That’s it?” when I had reached the end. It was a developed ending with a clear conclusion, but not really the climax I wanted. Overall, this was a solid and entertaining mystery that reminds me why I am such a fan of Moriarty’s books.