Such charming liars by Karen M. McManus

Kat has no recollection of her mother's brief, 48 hour marriage to a man with a son of his own, as she was four at the time - her stepbrother of 48 hours, Liam, was five. In the whirlwind, things were so outrageous in Vegas, that Liam took years to get over it. Kat, no such problem. The two families haven't spoken for the twelve years since, and it's just been Kat and her mother - they are a team. Always a team. Made more interesting by the fact that her mum is a jewel thief now trying to go straight, with one last job - a grand necklace at a billionaire's eightieth birthday party weekend, but she won't take Kat. At least, that's what her mum thinks. Other surprise guests include Liam and his father, who happens to be dating the daughter of the billionaire, with an agenda of his own. They all decide to act like they don't know each other, and go about their own business, until someone is shot and killed on the compound, and Kat and Liam appear to be next in line. 

A little different from Karen M McManus' usual books, this is still an amazing story full of twists and turns, and believable, relatable characters. Fans of McManus will be rushing for this latest release, as will fans of mystery and suspense. The story flows really well, with an even pace, moving between characters as the story is told by the two main characters, Kat and Liam, so dual perspective. Readers are barely given time to guess or wonder who might be behind things, as the novel reads quickly, and events occur rapidly, shifting targets often. Karen M McManus really knows how to write a clever mystery, perfect for fans of classic mystery like Agatha Christie or modern YA mystery like Holly Jackson or Maureen Johnson.

Themes: YA, Mystery, Suspense, Heist, LGBTQIA+, Relationships, Murder, Lies.

Melanie Pages