Author E.Lockhart is most well-known for her book We Were Liars, which was first published to acclaim in 2014, and then exploded in popularity after going viral on TikTok in 2020. This year, she blessed fans with a prequel. Writing for NPR, Gabino Iglesias called Family of Liars "an atmospheric story that will welcome new and seasoned readers to the Sinclair family and show them that death, grief, mysteries, jealousy, and heartbreak that can hide at the core of wealth, beauty, and good intentions."

We asked E. Lockhart for the best books to buy as gifts this season and she gave us recommendations that reflect her eclectic taste. From books to give to the millennial party animal to the exhausted parent friend, there's something here for everyone!

For the crime fiction-lover who wants a change of pace:

Terrifying and also somehow cozy, set in the intense buzz of the city of Lagos, this is a quick, thought-provoking read about sisterhood and murder.

For the 12- to 17-year-old who wants to laugh:

Crazy-fun queer rom-com with a little mystery; lots of kissing but no sex, secret envelopes, sneaking around and other hijinks.

For the 12- to 17-year-old who wants to feel all the dark feelings:

A riveting, sad, beautifully written thriller that’s also a character study.

For the fantasy reader:

A reformed con artist, a valuable magical book gone missing, a load of extra creepy underworld types and a very surprising romance.

For the twenty-something party animal:

The funny and ultimately heart-wrenching sexual adventures of a loveable, complicated young Jamaican-British woman.

For your exhausted parent friend:

It’s basically Breaking Bad with handbags. A lawyer turned stay-at-home mom reconnects with her college roommate and gets sucked deep into the crime-infested world of imitation luxury goods.

For the intellectual who wants a vacation read:

Oh gosh, is it ever fun. Pavesi is showing off, and then showing off some more, and he sticks all the landings.

For the serious fiction reader and the film-lover:

This Hollywood novel is also a portrait of life in Chinatown rooming houses; it’s a portrait of America; it’s written as a screenplay. It’s the smartest book, wonderfully entertaining while also excruciating and enlightening.

For the person who likes my books:

Dark academia meets drama school: students at a Shakespeare-centered acting conservatory become obsessed with one another, with the Bard — and with covering up a murder.

Tertulia recommends:

Buying gifts for a teenage relative? E. Lockhart's We Were Liars is a perennial favorite for YA readers.