Apples Never Fall

By: Liane Moriarty

Narrated by: Caroline Lee

Length: 18 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

2021 AudioFile Best Audiobooks

2021 Washington Post Best Books of the Year

From Liane Moriarty, the number one New York Times best-selling author of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, comes Apples Never Fall, an audiobook that looks at marriage, siblings, and how the people we love the most can hurt us the deepest.

The Delaney family love one another dearly - it’s just that sometimes they want to murder each other....

If your mother was missing, would you tell the police? Even if the most obvious suspect was your father?

This is the dilemma facing the four grown Delaney siblings.

The Delaneys are fixtures in their community. The parents, Stan and Joy, are the envy of all of their friends. They’re killers on the tennis court, and off it their chemistry is palpable. But after 50 years of marriage, they’ve finally sold their famed tennis academy and are ready to start what should be the golden years of their lives. So why are Stan and Joy so miserable?

The four Delaney children - Amy, Logan, Troy, and Brooke - were tennis stars in their own right, yet as their father will tell you, none of them had what it took to go all the way. But that’s okay, now that they’re all successful grown-ups and there is the wonderful possibility of grandchildren on the horizon.

One night a stranger named Savannah knocks on Stan and Joy’s door, bleeding after a fight with her boyfriend. The Delaneys are more than happy to give her the small kindness she sorely needs. If only that was all she wanted.

Later, when Joy goes missing, and Savannah is nowhere to be found, the police question the one person who remains: Stan. But for someone who claims to be innocent, he, like many spouses, seems to have a lot to hide. Two of the Delaney children think their father is innocent, two are not so sure - but as the two sides square off against each other in perhaps their biggest match ever, all of the Delaneys will start to reexamine their shared family history in a very new light.

A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt and Company

©2021 Liane Moriarty (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Audiobook narrator Caroline Lee’s voice is an irresistible, visceral joy; like the best audiobook narrators, her delivery is endlessly malleable, shifting nimbly across accent, register and tone to create a sense that one is inside the story rather than peering in from the outside." (Farhad Manjoo, The New York Times)

"[Lee] adds a crisp warmth that makes for an easy and absorbing listen." (Alan Rosenberg, The Providence Journal)

"Australian narrator Caroline Lee is an amazing performer who digs so deeply into her characters' personas that listeners will become addicted to each witty, insightful, and gutsy one." (AudioFile Magazine, Earphones Award Winner)

May favorite author does it again

Liane Moriarty brings her complicated characters into your life and you never forget them. This is another compelling story that draws you in and brings the characters to life. The story line grabs your heart and mind. I cried genuine tears at many parts of the book. I’ll keep thinking about this family for a long long time. Thank you for sharing your gift with the world.

Love Liane!

Would love to know the writing prompt suggested which resulted in this novel! Interestingly fact and will investigate. The character of Joy was marvelous. Flaws and all, I *see* her. I recognize her.

Loved it!

It took me down a journey that I hadn’t packed or prepared for. This book is clever!

Amazing!!!

I hate when people complain about the narrator and they are completely 100% wrong! It’s so annoying and it deters other listeners from the book. This narrator was spot on with every character. She was outstanding. I won’t even sit through two minutes if the narration is awful. And I am extremely sensitive to it. This narrator was nothing short of perfection. The story was amazing as well. Highly recommend this book.

Just Okay

This is the first book that I’ve read or listened to by Liane Moriarty. The story was okay. There was a lot of “fluff”. There was a lot to be desired. The audio sample captures your curiosity. Makes you want to know what happens. The story was at a very slow pace. But, it held your attention enough to hang in there to find out what happens. If Liane Moriarty’s other books are written this way, I have no desire to read or listen to another.

Narrator was wonderful.

great story

Loved the book. interesting story, different twists and turns. i always enjoy this narrator.

JUST NOT WHAT YOU THINK

For starters I loved this book. It's everything. But it's not a mystery. It's not a thriller. Not just a soft and
gentle story of a great family. The story rocks you along, but doesn't put you to sleep.

There are more unexpected twists and turns than West Coast Hwy 1 north of San Francisco.
And it's not even set in the United States.
It's not any of the above but at moments you think it must be. I found the simple story of a hard working family
pulled me in like I was a member... but wait....... Good job.

wow!

so well written. loved this! the characters were really well descibed and the story was hearfelt & heart warming ❤

Worth the listen

Not as interesting and suspenseful as others by this author yet a good story. The last 1/4 of the book sort of dragged on.

Seemed long winded

I really wanted to love this book, but I had a hard time getting into it. I couldn’t find the point and it seemed just so drawn out and to drag on.