Big Little Lies Summary
Liane Moriarty

Big Little Lies Overview

The story begins with Mrs. Patty Ponder hearing a commotion coming from the school that is near her house. It is the annual trivia night, and Mrs. Ponder can see some of the fathers fighting. As she wonders if she should call the police, she can hear the sound of sirens coming toward the school. The story then goes back in time and introduces the three main characters, Madeline, Jane, and Celeste. The women are mothers of kindergartners who are going to school for the first time. They all live in a beach community near Sidney, Australia. The book chronicles the friendship between the three women, and the healing they experience in the book. Although Madeline is now happily married, she struggles with her ex-husband and the relationship her daughter has with her ex. Jane is a single mom who has low self-esteem and tries to blend into the background. Celeste is a beautiful woman who is married to a wealthy, successful man who abuses her. She has twin sons. Even though it is clear that a murder occurred during trivia night, the author leaves reader guessing regarding the identity of the victim and the murderer as she describes the events that led up to that night.