We’re excited to be giving away two copies of House of Liars by Jenny Williams to our GrownUps members!
To be in the draw, simply make sure you’re a GrownUps member, signed up to our newsletter, and fill in your details at the bottom of the page.
About House of Liars
A literary psychological thriller with haunting implications for the coming wave of AI agents
When struggling mother and failed novelist Anna Olin is invited to an exclusive residency on a remote island, it feels like an opportunity for artistic redemption. Alongside five other writers, including an old flame whose spark still smoulders, she must finish her novel to compete for a million-dollar publishing contract. The catch? One of the writers isn’t human; it’s an AI.
Isolated and under pressure, Anna’s grasp on reality loosens as alliances form fast, seduction beckons, and secrets press closer to the surface—including Anna’s own. When she starts receiving cryptic notes and the AI develops frightening new behaviors, Anna must decide what—and who—she’s willing to risk if she is to fulfill the darkest fantasies she can’t speak aloud, even to herself.
“I devoured this novel—its exquisitely imperfect characters, its propulsive mystery, its urgent questions about human desire in the age of artificial everything. House of Liars captures both the perilous moment our world is facing with AI and the dark tensions of modern motherhood: the fantasies, the hunger, and the way women are torn between the lives we choose and the lives we crave. Riveting, tender, and terrifyingly real, this book will keep you up all night reading and then haunt you long after the last page.” Mia Fontaine, New York Times bestselling author of Come Back
Author Note
‘As a former writer on Microsoft’s first AI ethics team, I spent years working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and societal risk. I saw firsthand how AI was evolving faster than culture or regulation could keep up. Now, as a resident of Aotearoa, I’m bringing that insider knowledge to New Zealand readers with a new novel, House of Liars—a psychological thriller that explores the dangers of interpersonal AI chatbots through the lens of motherhood, creativity, ambition, and desire.
‘New Zealand is at a fascinating crossroads when it comes to AI. The government has taken a “light-touch, proportionate” approach to regulation, relying on existing frameworks rather than introducing sweeping AI-specific legislation. But, as AI experts across Aotearoa recently warned in an open letter, this approach may not be enough to address the real risks this country faces. In addition to deepfakes, embedded bias, and threats to data sovereignty, there are nuanced questions of how AI will undermine creative industries and artists, and how chatbots might erode the community relationships that are so deeply interwoven in this country’s culture. The coming wave of AI intimacy I explore in House of Liars isn’t science fiction—it’s already here. Are we prepared?’
About the Author
Jenny Williams’ debut novel, The Atlas of Forgotten Places, was published in the United States by St. Martin’s Press and praised by Ghanaian author Kwei Quartey as ‘Nothing short of astonishing’. Her novella A Short Future History of Whales was produced by Spotify Audiobook Selects. Her writing has appeared or is forthcoming in MIT Technology Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, The Sun Magazine, and Analog Science Fiction and Fact. Jenny has received awards from Teachers & Writers Collaborative, the Elizabeth George Foundation, and Brooklyn College, where she completed an MFA in fiction. She is also currently a Master of Design candidate at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington (expected graduation July 2026). Jenny has spent 8+ years working at Google and Microsoft.
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Terms and conditions
You must be a GrownUps member and subscribed to our newsletter to be eligible to enter.
The competition closes on 26th August 2026. Winners will be notified via email by 27th August 2026.
It is your responsibility to provide a correct New Zealand postal address for prize delivery. GrownUps is not responsible for prizes sent to incorrect addresses.
Winners will be drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
GrownUps employees and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.
By entering, you agree to GrownUps using your name on social media as a winner of the competition.
One entry per household.
The prize is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or other items.
You must reside in New Zealand, as the prize can only be delivered within New Zealand.
You must be over 50 years of age to enter. Please ensure your membership details are up to date in your dashboard.
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