• Apples Never Fall

  • By: Liane Moriarty
  • Narrated by: Caroline Lee
  • Length: 18 hrs and 3 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (22,498 ratings)

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Apples Never Fall  By  cover art

Apples Never Fall

By: Liane Moriarty
Narrated by: Caroline Lee
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Interview: Liane Moriarty Hits Another Ace With Her New Domestic Drama 'Apples Never Fall'

'You have to make everything as believable as possible when you're creating this fictional world.'
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  • Apples Never Fall
  • 'You have to make everything as believable as possible when you're creating this fictional world.'

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)

Featured Article: Everything to Know About Nine Perfect Strangers


If you've already listened to Liane Moriarty's New York Times best seller Nine Perfect Strangers, then you know you're in for a wild ride with Hulu's miniseries based on the book. But with a listen as unique, bizarre, and twisty as Moriarty's eighth novel, it's not surprising if you have some questions. Maybe you want a refresher before you watch the show, or maybe you haven't listened to the book yet and want more details. Either way, we’re here to help.

Editor's Pick

I fell hard for this listen
Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty is an ignore-your-children-and-household-chores type of all-consuming listen. Moriarty’s talent was on full display—no detail is wasted in this audiobook, and it continually amazed me how she tied each piece of the narrative together. When the matriarch of the tennis-famous Delaney family goes missing, all eyes are on the husband, but Moriarty mysteries are never that simple. The author has once again teamed up with Caroline Lee, who delivers on the story’s slightly sinister vibe with her raspy Australian timbre. I can’t stop talking about this one (even my husband is now listening so he can understand the obsession), and I can’t wait to geek out with my fellow editors once they’ve devoured it too. —Katie O., Audible Editor

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What listeners say about Apples Never Fall

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    13,269
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    5,261
  • 3 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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    828

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

9 Perfect Strangers WAS my least favorite

I was so very disappointed with this book ...About 17 hours of it just sounded bitter and whiny. I loved EVERY single Liane Moriarty book until 9 perfect strangers, and this one might be worse. Even the narrator's voice (which I have always loved in the past) came across as extra sharp and whiny this time. I hate writing a bad review... especially for an author I enjoyed so much before, but I just can't recommend this book

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A Family's Big Little Lies -The Retirement Years!

The writing is phenomenal & the narration brings it all alive! I laughed out loud numerous times. This is a masterclass in writing -- all the details come together. Lee's wry inflections bring out the underlying emotions beautifully. Additionally, retirement, especially during Covid is incredibly accurately represented. I can't recommend this audiobook any more highly!

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6 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
  • DG
  • 10-23-21

Disappointment

I rarely write reviews and I listen to 6-8 books a month. I have enjoyed several of the authors previous books and enjoyed the narrator as well. The reviews for this book were 4.7 when I ordered. However, this book was a slog for me. Never thought it would end or get to the resolution of the mystery. The narration was just ok this time. Many reviewers loved this audible book but I am not one of them. Sorry Liane!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Fun

Liane Moriarty never disappoints. Caroline Lee is also marvelous. I enjoy her narrations tremendously.

The last chapter could be an entirely new story. Really enjoyed it, wondering what happened next.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Another hilarious book by Liane Moriarty

Fun story line full of unexpected twists and witty insights into the human character. Moriarty’s books never disappoint and this narrator is fantastic! Great comic timing and as much an actor as a narrator. I always dread finishing Moriarty’s novels.

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4 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Ho-hum

Not my favorite from this author. Slow moving story. Kinda boring. Best party of the story was the very end.

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3 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

It was okay…

I have read or listened to all of Liane Moriarty novels. This one reminds me of Nine Perfect Strangers. Characters not exactly likable…but interesting enough to continue listening to. I think if you come from a larger family, you can find relatable personalities and story lines. I do like the way small details come back and tie events and people together. She does that in all of her books, and I enjoy trying to figure out how a small detail or unsuspecting character fits into the story. Still, my favorite novel of all time is My Husband’s Secret. Unfortunately, I compare all her works to that story, and they all fall a bit short.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Tedious details gobble up great story/characters

If you love tedious insignificant details & dialogue...oh and TENNIS too... this is the book for you. To be fair, quite a well-crafted story and characters if you have the time to slog through. The family dynamics were especially interesting. I enjoy long audiobooks but this one had me skipping chunks to move things along, so be warned.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent Plot and Very Relatable

The plot is great, and the sibling rivalry is incredibly relatable. You can tell the author did a lot of research before writing this book. Very enjoyable and I would highly recommend!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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LOVED

Such a sweet, wholesome read. You don’t have to be a tennis, or even a sports lover in order to enjoy this book. Performance was my favorite.

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