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Big Little Truths audiobook vs book: which should you choose?

Liane Moriarty’s sequel to Big Little Lies, set ten years later, when Madeline, Celeste and Jane’s children are teenagers.

Read vs Listen·Verdict last reviewed 2 November 2026·5 min read
Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty

Short answer: for the Big Little Truths audiobook vs book choice, we say listen on Audible (62% confidence, close call). Two narrators share the book, Caroline Lee for the women and Ella Le Fournour for the teenagers, and it runs to 496 pages in the UK, both of which favour audio. The Times says it plays with timelines through back-and-forward reveals, which favours print. Listening comes out narrowly ahead.

The verdict
The same thirteen checks for every bookSix checks point to listening, such as a full cast or produced audio, the author reading their own memoir, or one narrator for a single viewpoint. Seven point to reading, such as jumping timelines, three or more viewpoints, or a story that depends on images or layout. Each check has a weight, and the weighted total sets the verdict. Verdicts are never paid for. See how we decide in full →

Listen on Audible

Listen for two narrators: Caroline Lee voices the women and Ella Le Fournour the teenagers, and a 496-page book goes further over 15 hours of audio. Read it if you’d rather keep track of the jumps in time, as The Times says the story moves through “back-and-forward reveals”, which is easier to follow on the page.

Definitely readDefinitely listen
62%
Listen
Listen on AudibleOur pick · 15h 24m, read by Caroline Lee and Ella Le FournourKindle edition496 pages (UK hardback)

Affiliate links: we may earn a small commission, at no cost to you. It never changes a verdict.

Confidence 62%, which puts it in the close call band. Bands run from close call at 50 to 64, through leaning at 65 to 79 and clear at 80 to 94, up to clear cut at 95 and above. Is listening the same as reading? See what the research says.

The audiobook at a glance

RecordingUK edition, our verdictUS edition
NarratorsCaroline Lee and Ella Le FournourCaroline Lee, Ella Le Fournour and Liane Moriarty
Length15 hours 24 minutes (15h 24m), unabridged15 hours 21 minutes (15h 21m), unabridged
At 1.5xabout 10h 16mabout 10h 14m
At 2xabout 7h 42mabout 7h 41m
Audio publisher and datePenguin, 27 August 2026Random House Audio, 25 August 2026
Audiobook price£14.51 on Audible UK$25.20 on Audible US
Kindle price£11.99 on Amazon UKNot confirmed
PrintMichael Joseph hardback, 496 pages, 27 August 2026Crown hardcover, 464 pages, 25 August 2026
Listener ratingPerformance 4.70 from 312 ratingsPerformance 4.55 from 2,186 ratings

US edition: Random House Audio also credits Liane Moriarty, and runs 3 minutes shorter; what she reads is not confirmed. The newer UK edition is scored, and the checks come out the same either way. Audible UK also sells the US edition.

Ratings and prices checked 2 November 2026. They change often. Amazon US does not show Kindle prices outside the US, so US Kindle prices are not given.

Lengths checked 2 November 2026. Speed times are calculated.

Why this verdictWhat it isCase for readingCase for listeningThe audiobookWho should ignore itQuestions

Big Little Truths

Liane Moriarty

Genre
Contemporary fiction
Series
Sequel to Big Little Lies
First published
25 August 2026 (US), 27 August 2026 (UK)
Length
496 pages (UK hardback)
On audio
15 hrs 24 mins, Caroline Lee and Ella Le Fournour

On this page

  1. Why we reached this verdict
  2. What this book actually is
  3. The case for reading it
  4. The case for listening to it
  5. The audiobook in detail
  6. Who should ignore this verdict
  7. Questions people ask

Why we reached this verdict

Every book on this site is checked against the same thirteen questions. They are based on research into what most people find easier to follow in each format, not on whether the book is any good.

Two criteria point to listening
✓
Full cast or produced audioTwo narrators share the reading. Audible’s editors (Katie O’Connor, Editors Select, August 2026) say “Moriarty’s longtime narrator Caroline Lee returns to voice these characters” and that the “Australian newcomer Ella Le Fournour” voices the teenagers.
✓
Long book496 pages in the UK Michael Joseph hardback and 464 in the US Crown hardcover, over 400.
–
Read by the authorIt is a novel, read by narrators rather than the author.
–
Single point of view and narratorAudible’s editors describe being “back in the minds of these women”, and The Times (Patricia Nicol, via Book Marks) calls it a “multistranded narrative”, so it is not one point of view.
–
Award-winning or praised narrationNo named critic has praised the narration, so it does not count. The US edition also credits Liane Moriarty, but what she reads is not confirmed.
–
Unfamiliar names or dialectThe book is set in Australia (Times Leader), but no source mentions dialect or hard names, so it does not count.
One criterion points to reading
✓
Jumping timelinesThe Times (Patricia Nicol, as quoted on Book Marks) says it “plays with timelines, telling its multistranded narrative through back-and-forward reveals”.
–
Literary or dense proseKirkus says “Moriarty’s real gift is for witty dialogue and relatable characters”, and the Newtown Review of Books (Sally Nimon) praises the ease of the writing, not dense prose.
–
Narration criticisedThe Audible Performance rating is 4.70 from 312 ratings on Audible UK and 4.55 from 2,186 on Audible US.
–
Three or more points of view, one narratorCaroline Lee voices the adult women, who include at least Madeline, Celeste and Jane (Audible), but no named source says the chapters take turns between them, so it does not count yet.
–
Story depends on images or layoutNo named source says anything in the story depends on how it looks on the page, so it does not count.
–
Many similar-sounding namesThe cast is large, with five mothers and their teenagers, and the Times Leader (Jacquie O’Neil) says “There is a lot going on in this book, maybe too much”, but no source says the names are easy to confuse, so it does not count.
–
Maps, family trees or footnotesNo source mentions maps, a family tree or notes, so it does not count. No PDF comes with the audiobook.
How the score adds up
Listening 13 points, reading 8

Listening: full cast or produced audio (10), long book (3), 13 points. Reading: jumping timelines (8), 8 points. 62% of the confirmed points favour listening, so the verdict is listen on Audible at 62% confidence (close call).

The recording in detail

One narratorMulti-voiceFull castDramatised
Scored
Caroline Lee, Ella Le Fournour, Penguin, 2026, 15h 24m, unabridged
Critic review
None found
Alternatives
US Random House Audio edition, which also credits Liane Moriarty
What you miss
Seeing at a glance when each scene happens

What this book actually is

Big Little Truths is Liane Moriarty’s sequel to Big Little Lies (2014). It returns to Madeline, Celeste and Jane ten years later, when their children are teenagers. The novels are set in Australia, while the HBO series of Big Little Lies moved the story to Monterey, California (Times Leader).

It was a Reese’s Book Club pick in September 2026. Moriarty has said the book could lay the groundwork for a third season of the TV series, but HBO has not ordered one (Variety Australia, August 2026). The mystery at its centre is not covered here.

The case for reading it

The Times (Patricia Nicol) says the book “plays with timelines, telling its multistranded narrative through back-and-forward reveals”. In print it is easier to keep track of when each scene happens.

The cast is large, and the Times Leader warns “There is a lot going on in this book, maybe too much.” On the page you can turn back to check who is who.

The case for listening to it

Two narrators share the reading. Caroline Lee, Moriarty’s longtime narrator according to Audible’s editors, voices the women, and Ella Le Fournour voices the teenagers. Listeners rate the performance 4.70 on Audible UK.

At 15 hours 24 minutes it comes down to about 10 hours 16 minutes at 1.5x, which helps with a 496-page book.

The audiobook in detail

Penguin publishes the UK edition (27 August 2026, 15 hours 24 minutes), read by Caroline Lee and Ella Le Fournour. Random House Audio publishes the US edition (25 August 2026, 15 hours 21 minutes), which also credits Liane Moriarty; what she reads is not confirmed. Both are unabridged. Whether they are one recording is not confirmed.

No PDF companion is listed.

Who should ignore this verdict

Lean towards print if you like to keep a large cast and a twisting timeline straight on the page. Lean towards audio if you want the women and the teenagers in separate voices.

Get Big Little Truths
Both editions, so you can go with the verdict or ignore it entirely.
Our pick

Audiobook

  • Read by Caroline Lee and Ella Le Fournour
  • 15h 24m, or about 10h 16m at 1.5x
  • Unabridged; separate voices for the women and the teenagers
Listen on Audible

Kindle

  • 496 pages (UK hardback)
  • Easier to follow the jumps in time
Get the Kindle edition
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Start here

How we decide

The thirteen questions behind every verdict on this site.

Questions people ask

Who narrates the Big Little Truths audiobook?

Caroline Lee and Ella Le Fournour. Caroline Lee voices the women and Ella Le Fournour the teenagers (Audible’s editors). The US edition also credits Liane Moriarty.

How long is the Big Little Truths audiobook?

15 hours 24 minutes in the UK and 15 hours 21 minutes in the US.

Is it abridged?

No. Both editions are unabridged.

How many pages is Big Little Truths?

496 pages in the UK hardback and 464 in the US hardcover.

Is Big Little Truths a sequel to Big Little Lies?

Yes. It is set ten years later, when the children are teenagers.

Do I need to read Big Little Lies first?

The Times Leader’s reviewer, Jacquie O’Neil, suggests reading it first.

What order are the books in?

Big Little Lies (2014), then Big Little Truths (2026).

Is there a TV series?

Big Little Lies was an HBO series. Moriarty has said the new book could lay the groundwork for a third season, but HBO has not ordered one (Variety Australia, August 2026).

Was it a Reese’s Book Club pick?

Yes, in September 2026.

Should I read or listen?

Listen, at 62%, a close call. Two narrators, one for the women and one for the teenagers, and the length favour audio, but the jumps in time keep print close.

Do you agree with this verdict?

We said listen on Audible. One tap, no sign-up.

Spotted a mistake on this page? Tell us and we will fix it. Or tell us how the site could be better.

How this verdict was reached

Every book on this site is checked against the same thirteen questions, set in advance and applied identically to every title. They are based on research into what readers and listeners generally find easier to follow in each format, not on personal preference, and they are published in full so you can check the reasoning yourself. Verdicts are never paid for, sponsored or influenced by affiliate partners.

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Big Little TruthsOur pick: listen · 62%
KindleListen on Audible