They all tried to use their children to gain Harris' favor, however none of the sisters had been able to earn a living independently despite a top education and access to a trust fund which annoyed him.

Carrie had also rejected a marriage proposal from Ed despite living together for almost nine years because Harris is opposed to her marrying a man of Indian descent and she was worried she'd be cut off from the family if she said yes.

She goes to visit the Liars at Cuddledown where they tell her that their deaths were not her fault (as they share responsibility for the plan to burn down Clairmont) and reveal that they will no longer be able to appear to her, with Gat giving her a final kiss and the three of them diving into the ocean and disappearing.

[4] She changed the structure of the ending shortly before the advance reader copy, based on suggestions from young adult author John Green.

[3] The character of Gat, who is part of the Liars but also an outsider to the family, was drawn from Lockhart's experience as a scholarship student at private schools, as well as Emily Brontë's novel Wuthering Heights.

[3] Lockhart also stated that some individuals close to her experience migraines and she was interested in exploring how pain affects one's personality and perception of the world.

"[5] To promote We Were Liars without giving too much of the plot away, a blog on Tumblr was created, focusing on the aesthetic of the Sinclair's island with quotes from the book.

[6] Los Angeles Times writer Amy Benfer described that thematically, We Were Liars was "a classic story of decaying aristocracy and the way that privilege can often hamstring more than help.

"[13] School Library Journal reviewer Karyn Silverman said that Cadence's voice was the highlight of the novel, but also praised the "smart" writing in regards to plotting and complex characters.

[14] Katrina Hedeen of The Horn Book Magazine also gave a starred review, describing it as an "intriguing, atmospheric story" with a "taut psychological mystery" and unexpected twist.

[15] The Wall Street Journal also gave a positive review, noting the crossover appeal to adults and praising Cadence as an unreliable narrator.

"[17] The Daily Telegraph's Martin Chilton gave the book four out of five stars, calling it "a mysterious and addictive treat" with a twist that is "dramatic and severe.

In regards to the ending, however, she wrote that "Lockhart just about manages to pull it off, thanks to the freshness of the writing and the razor-sharp metaphor amnesia provides for the Sinclair family habit of denial.