Night Bus Homecoming

Sophia Mackenzie, a young architect in London, is returning home after a night out, feeling the weight of her disconnected life and her mother's anxious late-night call. She brushes off her mother's plea to come home, not realizing it's a desperate, final attempt to reach her. The next morning, guilt-ridden, Sophia drives to her parents' rural home, only to find the gates locked and the house eerily quiet. This chapter sets the tone of unease and introduces Sophia's strained family ties, her mother's fragility, and the sense that something is deeply wrong beneath the surface of her life.

A Shocking Discovery

Arriving at her childhood home, Sophia discovers her mother has died by apparent suicide, hanging from a tree in the garden, and her father is found nearby, gravely injured from stab wounds. The police quickly label it a murder-suicide, but Sophia cannot reconcile this with her gentle mother's character. The trauma of the discovery, the media's intrusion, and the community's whispers leave Sophia isolated and desperate for answers. The event is the catalyst for Sophia's quest to uncover the truth about her family, her mother's past, and the secrets that have haunted them.

The Aftermath Unfolds

As her father lies in a coma, Sophia is left to manage the aftermath: funeral arrangements, police interviews, and the running of the family's struggling garden business. She is haunted by doubts about the official story and by the revelation that her parents had been the victims of repeated burglaries—something they never told her. The arrival of her estranged grandparents at the funeral, and the discovery of a mysterious letter about her mother's book, hint at a hidden life and unresolved family conflicts. Sophia's sense of reality begins to unravel as she realizes how little she truly knew her parents.

The Notebooks' Secret

Sophia learns her mother, Nina, had written a memoir—Morningstar—about her youth, and that a publisher is eager to see it. The manuscript, however, is missing, existing only in a set of handwritten notebooks. As Sophia searches the house and grounds, she uncovers not only the notebooks but also evidence that her mother had recently bought a shotgun, raising further questions about her state of mind and the threats she faced. The first notebook plunges Sophia—and the reader—into Nina's past, revealing a world of secrets, cults, and dangerous love.

Nina's Cambridge Escape

Nina's notebook recounts her arrival at Cambridge in 1989, her longing for acceptance, and her vulnerability. She is quickly drawn into the orbit of a charismatic group led by the enigmatic Aaron Kessler, a former rock star. The group, known as the Order of Ascendants, promises spiritual awakening and creative inspiration but is, in reality, a manipulative cult. Nina's need for belonging and love makes her easy prey for Aaron's seduction, and she is soon swept into a world of ritual, drugs, and psychological control, losing touch with her old friends and family.

Seduced by Morningstar

Nina becomes increasingly enmeshed in the cult at Morningstar, Aaron's country estate. The group's rituals, sexual politics, and communal living blur the lines between love, power, and exploitation. Aaron's charisma and the group's pressure erode Nina's sense of self, and she is manipulated into participating in increasingly extreme rituals, including being filmed during sexual acts. The cult's true nature—its dependence on money, its exploitation of vulnerable members, and its capacity for cruelty—becomes apparent, but Nina is trapped by her longing for Aaron's approval and the group's manufactured sense of family.

Rituals and Revelations

The cult prepares for a major ritual, with Nina at its center. Under the influence of drugs, she loses all memory of the night's events. The next morning, she awakens to chaos: Peter, a drug dealer and cult associate, has been shot dead. The group hastily constructs a cover story for the police, and Nina is forced to lie, unsure of her own role in the tragedy. The aftermath fractures the group, and Aaron, ever the opportunist, casts out Nina and the others, leaving them to fend for themselves. The trauma of the event and the group's betrayal mark Nina forever.

The Cult's True Face

Nina, abandoned and pregnant, is left to survive with Wolf, a manipulative cult member who blackmails her with the threat of exposing her supposed role in Peter's death. She is cut off from her family and friends, forced into a life of poverty and dependence. Eventually, she returns to her parents, who reluctantly take her in. The cult's legacy of exploitation, secrecy, and psychological damage continues to haunt her, shaping the rest of her life and her relationship with her daughter, Sophia.

Betrayal and Exile

Sophia, reading the notebooks, is forced to confront the reality of her mother's past: the cult, the abuse, and the possibility that Aaron Kessler is her biological father. The revelation shatters her sense of identity and her relationship with her father, Jared, who is revealed to be Wolf, the cult's cameraman and her mother's eventual partner. The family's history of secrets, betrayals, and violence comes to a head as Sophia realizes the depth of the trauma that has shaped her life.

The Past Returns

As Sophia investigates further, she becomes the target of those who want to keep the past buried. She is followed, threatened, and ultimately attacked by Monica, a cult loyalist who has infiltrated her life. The violence escalates, culminating in the murder of Tess, another former cult member who tried to warn Sophia. The police are slow to connect the dots, and Sophia is left to piece together the truth on her own, racing against time to unlock the final secrets of her mother's life.

The Hunt for Truth

Sophia discovers the existence of a third, password-protected notebook file on her mother's old computer. As she struggles to unlock it, she faces mounting pressure from the cult, the police, and her own family. The final notebook holds the key to the truth about Peter's death, her mother's fate, and the real identity of her father. Sophia's determination to uncover the truth puts her in mortal danger, but she refuses to back down, driven by love, anger, and the need for justice.

The Third Notebook Unlocked

Sophia finally unlocks the third notebook, which reveals that her father, Jared (Wolf), killed Peter to protect Nina during a drug-fueled ritual gone wrong. The group covered up the murder, and Nina lived in fear of exposure and retaliation for decades. The notebook also reveals that Nina was planning to leave Jared, and that her death was not a suicide but a murder—Jared killed her in a fit of rage and despair, then attempted to kill himself. The cycle of violence and secrecy is laid bare, and Sophia is forced to confront the darkest truths about her family.

The Final Confrontation

Jared, unhinged by grief and guilt, confronts Sophia with a shotgun, intending to kill her and himself. In a climactic struggle, Sophia is saved by the unexpected intervention of Aaron Kessler, who knocks Jared unconscious. The police arrive, and the truth about the family's past and the cult's crimes finally comes to light. Sophia survives, but her sense of self and her understanding of her family are forever changed.

The Truth About Family

In the aftermath, Sophia must come to terms with her mother's legacy, her father's crimes, and her own identity as the child of a cult. She reconnects with the surviving former cult members, learns the fates of those involved, and decides what to do with her mother's notebooks. The story of Morningstar becomes public, and the cult's power is broken, but the scars remain. Sophia chooses to move forward, honoring her mother's courage and her own hard-won freedom.

Justice and Aftermath

Jared is arrested and faces justice for his crimes. The cult's remaining members are exposed, and Aaron Kessler's manipulations are revealed, though he largely escapes legal consequences. Sophia helps Rowan, her childhood friend, rebuild his life after the loss of Eden Gardens, and she finds a measure of peace in her own career and relationships. The family home is lost, but Sophia creates a new life for herself, grounded in truth and resilience.

Healing and Moving Forward

Years later, Sophia has built a new life, free from the shadows of Morningstar. She finds love, success, and a sense of belonging, but she never forgets the lessons of her past. The story ends with Sophia reflecting on the power of secrets, the importance of facing the truth, and the possibility of healing after even the deepest wounds. She chooses not to be defined by her family's darkness, but to honor her mother's memory by living fully and honestly.

Characters

Sophia Mackenzie

Sophia is the protagonist, a young architect whose life is upended by her mother's death and the subsequent unraveling of family secrets. Intelligent, determined, and emotionally complex, Sophia is driven by a need to understand the truth about her mother, her own origins, and the forces that have shaped her life. Her journey is one of psychological awakening, as she confronts trauma, betrayal, and the legacy of cult abuse. Sophia's relationships—with her parents, friends, and lovers—are marked by longing, guilt, and a fierce desire for connection. Over the course of the novel, she transforms from a passive observer of her own life into an active agent of change, ultimately choosing healing and self-determination.

Nina Mackenzie

Nina is Sophia's mother, whose hidden past as a cult survivor is revealed through her notebooks. Sensitive, intelligent, and deeply wounded, Nina is both a victim and a fighter. Her longing for love and belonging makes her vulnerable to Aaron Kessler's manipulation, and her subsequent entrapment in the cult leaves her scarred for life. Nina's inability to fully escape her past, her struggles with mental health, and her complicated relationship with both Sophia and Jared define her character. Her final act—writing her story and attempting to break free—sets the events of the novel in motion, and her voice, through the notebooks, is a powerful presence throughout.

Jared Boothroyd / Wolf

Jared, also known as Wolf, is Sophia's legal father and Nina's partner after Morningstar. Outwardly a hardworking, gruff man, he is inwardly consumed by jealousy, resentment, and unresolved trauma from his time in the cult. His love for Nina is possessive and ultimately destructive, culminating in violence and murder. Jared's psychological complexity lies in his dual role as both victim and perpetrator—he is shaped by the cult's abuse but also perpetuates it. His relationship with Sophia is fraught with tension, as he struggles with the knowledge that she may not be his biological daughter. His final unraveling is both tragic and terrifying.

Aaron Kessler

Aaron is the enigmatic and dangerous leader of the Order of Ascendants, a former rock star whose charm masks a predatory nature. He is a master of psychological control, using love, sex, and spiritual rhetoric to dominate his followers. Aaron's relationships are transactional and exploitative, and he is capable of both grand gestures and cold abandonment. His influence over Nina and the other cult members is profound, and his legacy of abuse and secrecy drives the novel's central mystery. Even in the present, Aaron remains a shadowy, powerful figure, both feared and desired.

Lucy Trinder / DuBois

Lucy is one of Aaron's closest followers, responsible for recruiting and indoctrinating new members. Outwardly vivacious and supportive, she is inwardly conflicted, torn between loyalty to Aaron and guilt over her role in the cult's abuses. Lucy's need for approval and her fear of exclusion make her both a victim and an enabler. In later life, she is haunted by her past and struggles to reconcile her complicity with her desire for redemption.

Penelope Longman

Penelope is another core member of the cult, serving as Aaron's business manager and enforcer. Intelligent, ambitious, and emotionally detached, she is skilled at manipulation and self-protection. Penelope's primary motivation is survival, and she is willing to betray others to save herself. Her denial of the past and her legal career in the present highlight the ways in which trauma can be buried but never fully erased.

Tess Hotchkiss

Tess is the youngest and most vulnerable member of the cult, later becoming a pastor and advocate for cult survivors. Her journey from victim to healer is marked by pain, resilience, and a commitment to helping others escape the traps she once fell into. Tess's murder by a cult loyalist is a devastating blow, underscoring the ongoing danger posed by the group and the high cost of speaking out.

Monica / Karen Ince

Monica, real name Karen Ince, is a former cult member who becomes obsessed with protecting the group's secrets. Her infiltration of Sophia's life and her violent attacks are driven by a warped sense of loyalty and a desperate need for belonging. Monica's instability and capacity for violence make her a terrifying antagonist, embodying the lingering threat of the cult's ideology.

Rowan

Rowan is Sophia's childhood friend and her father's right-hand man at Eden Gardens. Steadfast, practical, and compassionate, Rowan provides emotional support and stability for Sophia during her ordeal. His own losses and struggles mirror Sophia's, and their friendship is a source of hope and healing.

Max Clarke

Max is the editor interested in publishing Nina's memoir. While initially supportive, he is ultimately revealed to be self-serving, leaking information to the press and prioritizing his own career over Sophia's safety. Max represents the dangers of exploitation and the ethical ambiguities of telling other people's stories.

Plot Devices

Dual Timeline and Epistolary Structure

The novel employs a dual timeline, alternating between Sophia's present-day investigation and Nina's past, as revealed through her memoir notebooks. This structure allows for gradual revelation of secrets, deepens suspense, and creates a dialogue between mother and daughter across time. The use of the notebooks as an epistolary device gives Nina a direct voice, making her trauma and perspective vivid and immediate.

Unreliable Narration and Memory

Both Sophia and Nina are unreliable narrators, their perceptions clouded by trauma, guilt, and the manipulations of others. The cult's gaslighting, the family's secrets, and the gaps in memory caused by drugs and psychological distress all serve to blur the line between reality and fiction. This device keeps the reader off-balance and mirrors the characters' own struggles to discern the truth.

Cult Dynamics and Psychological Control

The Order of Ascendants is depicted with chilling realism, drawing on real-world cult tactics: love-bombing, isolation, sexual exploitation, and the erosion of personal boundaries. The novel examines how intelligent, capable people can be drawn into abusive systems, and how those systems perpetuate themselves through fear, shame, and complicity.

Generational Trauma and Inheritance

The story is driven by the idea that trauma, secrets, and unresolved pain are passed down through generations. Sophia's quest to understand her mother is also a journey to understand herself, her family, and the ways in which the past continues to shape the present. The revelation of her true parentage and the cycle of violence in her family underscore the novel's exploration of inheritance—both genetic and psychological.

Mystery and Suspense

The novel is structured as a mystery, with Sophia piecing together clues from her mother's notebooks, interviews with former cult members, and her own memories. Red herrings, false leads, and the ever-present threat of violence keep the tension high, while the ultimate revelation of the truth is both shocking and inevitable.

Analysis

Everything Is Lies is a gripping psychological thriller that uses the framework of a cult mystery to explore deeper questions about family, identity, and the long shadow of trauma. Helen Callaghan deftly examines how intelligent, well-meaning people can be manipulated by charismatic abusers, and how the need for love and belonging can make us vulnerable to exploitation. The novel's dual timeline and epistolary structure create a powerful dialogue between mother and daughter, highlighting the ways in which secrets and pain are passed down—and the courage required to break the cycle. Ultimately, the book is a call to face the truth, however painful, and to choose healing and self-determination over silence and complicity. It warns of the dangers of surrendering control—whether to cults, families, or institutions—and celebrates the resilience of those who fight to reclaim their lives.

Last updated: May 1, 2025