We Were Liars

We Were Liars is a 2014 young-adult novel by E. Lockhart, a pen name of writer Emily Jenkins. The book tells the story of Cady (short for Cadence), who is nearly 18, as she recounts the story of her life. She is a member of the wealthy New England Sinclair family whose patriarch and matriarch, Harris and Tipper, still dominate the family as the story begins. The Sinclair family is so wealthy that it owns an island called Beechwood with four houses—Clairmont, Cuddledown, Windemere, and Red Gate—that are shared by three sisters—Penny (Cady's mother), Carrie, and Bess. Much of the story takes place during summers spent on Beechwood Island with Cady's friends: Johnny, Mirren, and Gat. These four are "the Liars" of the book's title.

Cady has known Johnny, Mirren, and Gat since they were youngsters. Gat is South Asian and the son of Ed, who is the new boyfriend of Cady's aunt Carrie. With time, Gat and Cady fall in love. In the background of their lives, the aunts fight over who will inherit their parents’ property, which includes a very large and valuable house in Boston.