Liane Moriarty Returns to Big Little Lies Universe with Sequel 'Big Little Truths'

Australian author Liane Moriarty is set to release 'Big Little Truths', her first sequel to the bestselling novel 'Big Little Lies', published by Penguin Random House on 25 August. The sequel opens a decade after the original, with Madeline's 50th birthday and the Monterey-area kids entering high school, introducing new high-stakes problems. Moriarty, who is about to turn 60, notes that she is ageing with her characters, and the book explores themes of parenting teenagers, elderly parents, and hormonal changes. The plot involves an anonymous human appendage mailed to the school and a suspicious car. Moriarty, who served as an executive producer on the HBO adaptation of 'Big Little Lies', which won 8 Emmy Awards, initially resisted writing a sequel but changed her mind while writing the story foundation for Season 2. She named Season 2 antagonist Mary Louise after Meryl Streep's real-life birth name, and was amazed when Streep was cast. Season 3 of the HBO series will draw from 'Big Little Truths'. Moriarty emphasizes that while screen adaptations require changes, 'nobody can change my book' because the printed page remains immutable. She is currently waiting for inspiration for her next project, noting that stories gain momentum about a third of the way through writing.