4 Réponses2026-07-17 21:28:55
Don’t stress too much about a strict order, honestly. They’re all standalone, so you can jump in anywhere. But if you’re a completionist, the publication sequence is: 'Three Wishes', 'The Last Anniversary', 'What Alice Forgot', 'The Hypnotist’s Love Story', 'Big Little Lies', 'Truly Madly Guilty', 'Nine Perfect Strangers', 'Apples Never Fall', and 'The Last Resort'. I’d argue starting with 'Big Little Lies' isn’t a bad idea—it’s the gateway drug for most of us. You can always circle back to the earlier ones later.
4 Réponses2026-07-30 01:59:47
The audiobook narrator, Caroline Lee, adds so much. If you're going in order, you'll hear her narration grow more confident alongside the writing. It's a cool synergy. By 'Big Little Lies', she's performing the heck out of those courtroom interludes and kid dialogues. A unique way to experience the chronology.
3 Réponses2026-07-30 11:02:11
My hot take: 'The Last Anniversary' is better than 'Truly Madly Guilty.' There, I said it. Publication order doesn't equate to quality order. Sometimes an author's fifth book is weaker than their second. It happens.
3 Réponses2026-07-30 02:55:14
Wait, I'm just here for the comments. I've only read 'Big Little Lies' because of the show. Are the other books just as good? Someone tell me if I should bother with the publication order or just jump to 'The Husband's Secret.'
6 Réponses2026-07-30 18:57:55
Controversial take: Sometimes the multiple timelines feel like a delaying tactic, especially in 'Truly Madly Guilty'. The constant teasing about 'the barbecue' for hundreds of pages can be exhausting. When the reveal finally comes, some readers feel it wasn't worth the hype. In that sense, the structure can work against the emotional payoff. It's a high-wire act, and depending on your patience, it can feel less like sophisticated storytelling and more like being strung along. I admire the technique, but I don't always enjoy the experience.
4 Réponses2026-07-30 07:17:49
Can we talk about the adaptations for a sec? My path was watching the 'Big Little Lies' series first, being blown away, and then reading the book. It was fascinating to see what was added and changed. Then I read 'Nine Perfect Strangers' before the Hulu show, which was a different experience. So your starting point could be media-adjacent. If you love book-to-screen analysis, start with the book of whatever adaptation you're most curious about. It gives you a fun, meta layer to your reading as you compare notes. The 'Big Little Lies' book is quite different in tone and detail from the show, which makes for rich discussion.
3 Réponses2026-07-30 00:18:52
My friend made a spreadsheet ranking them by 'spiciness' of the secret, which is hilarious but kinda useful. 'The Husband's Secret' is obviously a 10/10 on the secret scale. 'What Alice Forgot' is more like a 6—the secret is from the protagonist herself. Choose your desired level of scandal.
4 Réponses2026-07-17 12:55:29
Has anyone else found that the ‘less popular’ ones randomly become their favorite? Everyone raves about 'Big Little Lies', but 'Three Wishes', her first, is so raw and funny about sister dynamics. It doesn’t have the tightest plot, but the heart is huge.
Sometimes reading an author’s debut last lets you appreciate their growth. Sometimes reading it first lets you fall for their potential. There’s no wrong path, only different kinds of appreciation. I’d almost recommend leaving one of the mega-hits for the middle, as a palate cleanser between the deeper cuts.
5 Réponses2026-07-30 08:11:23
I borrowed 'Nine Perfect Strangers' from a friend who said it was 'weird but good.' Had zero idea about Moriarty's other work. Loved it. Then I saw 'Big Little Lies' on HBO and read that book. Only later did I look up her bibliography and realize I'd read them completely out of sequence.
It made no difference. Each was a distinct, memorable experience. 'Nine Perfect Strangers' with its surreal, almost sci-fi vibe, and 'Big Little Lies' with its grounded, brutal realism. If anything, reading them out of order highlighted her range. I never assumed she only wrote one type of story. It was a pleasant surprise to see how flexible her core themes could be.
3 Réponses2026-07-30 17:51:40
I read 'The Last Anniversary' first by accident. It was on a sale table. I loved its quirky mystery about a forgotten baby on an island. Then I discovered she wrote 'Big Little Lies' and was shocked it was the same author. Her range is broader than people think. Reading out of order can give you those fun surprises.