#BookReview: YOU’LL BE THE DEATH OF ME by Karen McManus @writerkmc @PenguinUKBooks

Publication: 2nd December 2021 – Penguin UK

Ivy, Mateo and Cal used to be close – best friends back in middle school.

Now all they have in common is a bad day. So for old time’s sake they skip school together – one last time.

But when the trio spot Brian ‘Boney’ Mahoney ditching class too, they follow him – right into a murder scene.

They all have a connection to the victim. And they’re ALL hiding something.

When their day of freedom turns deadly, it’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out . . .

It’s Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with murder, perfect for fans of One Of Us Is Lying and A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder. This explosive new thriller is impossible to put down.

AMAZON

WATERSTONES

You’ll Be The Death Of Me is my first novel by Karen McManus and I was so hooked by the twisty plot, the author’s addictive writing, and the engaging characters that I read it one day and then ordered the author’s backlist.

The story is told from three different points of views: Ivy, Mateo, and Cal. Once upon a time, they used to be best friends, after they skipped a school trip to have the “Greatest Day Ever”, but then they drifted apart. One morning, they casually meet outside of school, but, each for their own reasons, they don’t want to go in, so they decide to skip school and try to have another “Greatest Day Ever”. When they spot another student skipping school, they follow him and they walk right into a murder scene. While they try to figure out what happened, they also have to deal with the secrets they are keeping from each other and with their old friendship.

I was so addicted to the story that I already want to reread it. The author’s kept me glued to the pages with her clear writing and the twists made me turn page after page. My list of suspects just kept getting longer, but I didn’t figure out the truth until it was revealed.

The characters are fantastic. I loved Ivy, Mateo, and Cal. They are flawed, they make so many make mistakes that I didn’t think they would find a way out of the situation, and they keep secrets from each other that only make thing more complicated. They are also relatable and authentic and very intriguing.

Engrossing, suspenseful, and unpredictable, You’ll Be The Death Of Me is a novel that I highly recommend and thanks to the thrilling ending that left a few things open I am really hoping for a sequel in the future!

A huge thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of the novel.

Karen M. McManus is the #1 New York Times and international bestselling author of young adult thriller/mystery novels, including One of Us Is Lying, One of Us Is Next, Two Can Keep a Secret, and The Cousins. You’ll Be the Death of Me will be her next novel, publishing December 2021. Her work has been translated into more than 40 languages worldwide.

Karen lives in Massachusetts and holds a master’s degree in Journalism from Northeastern University, which she mostly uses to draft fake news stories for her novels.
For more information, visit www.karenmcmanus.com or @writerkmc on Twitter and Instagram.