Such Charming Liars

Sixteen-year-old Kat Quinn assists her surrogate grandmother, Gem Hayes, in a reconnaissance mission at the Bennington & Main jewelry store. Posing as a wealthy grandmother and granddaughter named “Nana” and “Sophie,” they examine high-end jewelry for Gem’s business, which sells near-perfect replicas. During a staged distraction where Kat feigns illness, Gem swaps a replica for a genuine $20,000 diamond vine ring. Once in the car, Gem reveals the stolen ring to Kat, who was unaware of the theft. Gem promises the proceeds will start a college fund for Kat.

At Spotless, Gem’s cleaning business front, Kat’s mother, Jamie Quinn, confronts Gem for involving Kat in a crime. Jamie, Gem’s bookkeeper, is studying accounting and wants to leave their criminal life. The argument escalates when Gem mentions a shameful incident in Las Vegas from their past. Jamie quits, but Gem offers a deal: if Jamie completes one last heist, Gem will help her secure a legitimate accounting job. The target is a ruby necklace belonging to Annalise Sutherland, the youngest daughter of billionaire Ross Sutherland, to be stolen during his 80th birthday party at the family compound in Bixby, Maine.

In Portland, Maine, seventeen-year-old Liam Rooney intercepts a date between his estranged father, Luke, and a woman named Rebecca Kent. Liam exposes Luke’s con of using a childhood photo of Liam and a fake cancer story to solicit money online. Six months prior, Liam’s mother died, forcing him into Luke’s custody. Years earlier, Luke and Liam’s mother divorced after Luke took Liam to Las Vegas, married a woman named Jamie Quinn, and lost both five-year-old Liam and Jamie’s four-year-old daughter, Kat, for six hours. Liam later discovers Luke is now posing as an artist to court his new mark, Annalise Sutherland. During a staged father-son painting session, Liam is shocked to find Luke has genuine artistic talent. Luke reveals his plan to marry Annalise.

In early August, Kat tricks Jamie into taking her to the Sutherland compound by claiming she needs a ride to a nearby water park. Their car gets a flat tire on a Bixby road. At the same time, Liam, having manipulated his way into the weekend trip, is driving to the compound with Luke. They spot the disabled car, and Liam recognizes Kat from an old photo of their parents’ Vegas wedding. When Luke tries to drive past, Liam pulls the hand brake. A passing truck flings a tomato, and Liam shields Kat, taking the hit. The reunion is tense, with Jamie and Luke agreeing to pretend they are strangers. Kat and Liam connect over this shared past and exchange contact information.

At the staff quarters, Jamie learns Luke is dating Annalise, the heist’s target, and panics. Kat has a nightmare related to her traumatic past with her abusive biological father and wakes to find Jamie violently ill. With Jamie unable to work her catering shift, Kat decides to impersonate her. While searching for Tylenol, Kat finds the stolen Bennington & Main ring in Jamie’s backpack, tries it on, and it gets stuck. At the staff luncheon, the conspicuous ring is noticed by Annalise’s sister, Larissa, and Parker Sutherland’s friend, Barrett. The event is disrupted when Augustus Sutherland’s father, Griffin, arrives drunk and is escorted away.

After the luncheon, Kat discovers the fake ruby necklace is missing from their unlocked apartment and suspects a fellow caterer, Vicky. She searches Vicky’s room but finds nothing. Desperate, Kat texts Liam, falsely claiming she lost a real engagement ring and needs to get into the party to find it. Liam and Annalise’s nephew, Augustus, sneak her in. While searching for Vicky, Kat overhears a cruel argument between Parker and Annalise. During the cake-cutting, Kat heads toward Annalise’s house but hears Parker arguing with a large, shadowy man in the woods. A gunshot rings out, and Kat witnesses the man standing over Parker’s dead body before fleeing when the man sees her. Following the gunshot, security places the Sutherlands, Liam, and Luke in a hidden safe room, where Ross Sutherland and his associate, Clive Clayborne, insist on “containing” the narrative around Parker’s death.

Kat escapes the compound with the help of two older guests who drive her to the Marlow Hotel in a nearby town, where she hides in a utility closet. The next morning, she messages Liam, who picks her up with Augustus. The trauma of the previous night triggers a breakdown, and Kat confesses everything in the car: her real name is Kylie Burke, her mother is Ashley Burke, and they changed their identities to escape her abusive father, Cormac. She reveals their entire history with Gem and the planned heist. Augustus takes them to a secluded family cabin.

At the cabin, Kat realizes Jamie’s granola was poisoned with wheat germ, an allergen for Jamie, and deduces that Gem’s daughter, Morgan, sabotaged her. An intruder tracks them to the cabin and attacks Jamie. Kat, Liam, and Augustus fight him off. As a diversion, Kat slashes the attacker’s tire with a hatchet, allowing them to escape in Augustus’s car as the man shoots at them. Meanwhile, Liam and Augustus eavesdrop on the Sutherlands and learn Parker was driving drunk during the boating accident that killed his mother. Clive later coaches Liam on his police statement, instructing him to feign ignorance about Parker’s gambling debts. Griffin reveals that Parker was found with Annalise’s ruby necklace in his pocket. Later, Liam and Augustus examine the necklace in Annalise’s possession and find a scratch on the clasp, identifying it as the fake. Liam overhears Luke propose to Annalise, who accepts. Kat discovers texts on Jamie’s phone revealing she and Luke are still legally married. Liam realizes Luke has a motive to kill Jamie. A party photo reveals the identity of an impostor security guard: Kat’s father, Cormac.

Kat plans to meet Morgan at the Marlow Hotel, but it is a trap set by a man sent to steal Jamie’s phone. Kat chases him down and retrieves her own phone, realizing he was after Jamie’s. Liam texts a warning that Jamie’s phone is being tracked. Kat uses the phone to lure Cormac to an empty office building. Morgan arrives and shoots Cormac dead, revealing the full plot: Gem, angry that Jamie planned to change Kat’s legal guardian and cut her out of their lives, hired the recently paroled Cormac to kill Jamie in a staged heist. Morgan’s earlier mistake of leaving her phone at a job site had triggered the police investigation into Spotless, making Gem desperate. Morgan poisoned Jamie to save her from the trap. Parker’s death was an accident; he stumbled upon Cormac in the woods. Gem appears, having overheard everything via an earpiece. She outlines a new plan to frame Jamie for a murder-suicide. Kat distracts Gem by revealing the flaw in her plan, the existence of two fake necklaces, then tackles her. Jamie stabs Gem’s wrist with a letter opener, disarming her. Gem flees to the roof, but Jamie follows and pulls her back just as police, called by Liam, arrive.

A week later, Larissa reveals that Annalise uses a private investigator to vet all her boyfriends. Kat, Liam, and Augustus break into Annalise’s office and find a hidden file proving she knew about Luke’s scams and his connection to Cormac and Spotless. They hide and overhear Annalise confess to Augustus that she orchestrated a “test” for Parker. Seeking revenge for her mother’s death, she leaked information about the heist to him, knowing he would choose to steal the necklace and walk into Gem’s trap. She threatens to use her influence to ensure Kat and Liam face juvenile detention if Augustus exposes her. Liam reveals he recorded her confession on his phone, which is admissible in Maine, a one-party consent state. Augustus decides to give the recording to the police. In the end, Jamie cooperates with authorities. Luke faces legal consequences. Liam stays with Annalise temporarily until his uncle can become his guardian. Kat and Jamie return to Boston, planning for a new, stable life in New England.