Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an eARC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.

Holy cats, was this a good one. All the stars to this fast-paced mystery/thriller (almost slasher flick-feeling) roller coaster of a book. I picked this up because I wanted to see what McManus would do after her debut One of Us Is Lying , which is a good book on its own, but in my opinion, this is where she has really started to shine as an author. The story is tightly packed, the intrigue is there, the characters are as nuanced as you want them to be in a thriller, and you are still guessing up until the end. I can't wait to get this in my library collection and start handing it out to readers. I had originally put it on my order when I started it, but after reading over 80% of it in one night, I ended up putting more copies on my order because I KNOW it will be that popular. Highly recommend.

Ellery and her brother Ezra are heading back to Sadie (their mom's) hometown, a place she couldn't wait to escape. Partly because of how trapped she felt, but also because of the memories of her sister who was taken and never found. Years later, Sadie's favorite babysitter's daughter is also found murdered, and the town develops a dark and sordid reputation. They had all hoped it was in the past, but now there are threatening messages around town with the Homecoming princesses as the new targets.

When Lacey Kilduff was found dead, her boyfriend Declan was the main suspect, even though nothing ever came of it. Now, his younger brother Malcolm is a senior in high school and suffering from the same fate as the Homecoming draws closer and his friends, step-sister, and their circle all deal with the tension of worrying if a killer has returned, or if a new one is stepping up to take his place.

Like I said, I highly recommend this read. Give to fans of The Naturals series, or those who are ready to make the jump from April Henry to actual thrillers. Suitable for grades 8 and up (there is some language, and some kissing; there is no sex and the violence is not graphic).

Two Can Keep a Secret is a story about a town named Echo that has seen some tough times.
Ellery is moving to Echo to stay with her grandmother and go to school. At first she is just not sure she likes her new school but its not long before she meets a few people who she thinks she can get along with and a guy who she really likes.
There is something mysterious happening in Echo and the girls are all on alert...........or are they?
Who is tormenting the town and why? Ellery is determined to find out. Who will help her? Who will try and stop her?
Read and find out!

Wowzers. What a book.

I want to start out by saying that I had my fingers super tightly crossed in hopes that I’d receive an ARC of Two Can Keep a Secret: I loved One of Us is Lying, so the idea of not having to wait to read Karen M. McManus’s next book was very exciting. When I got approved, I couldn’t wait to read this text, and I am so, so glad I got the chance. So thank you Net Galley for this thrilling ARC!


There is a lot going on in this book: absent parents, overall family disfunction, being the new kids, a teacher mysteriously killed in the opening.... a lot going on. At first, you kind of feel like it might be too much: how is this reasonably short YA book going to tackle all these themes and plot threads in this text? Well, it does. It’s a deeply satisfying book with a (sighhhhhhhh of delight) deeply satisfying ending. And I’m so glad because satisfying endings have really been missing from my life lately.

Okay, so basically this is the book: Ellery and Ezra, fraternal twins, are sent to live with their grandma in their mom’s home town after their mom is sent to court ordered rehab; the night they arrive in their new town, they happen upon the town’s most popular teacher, killed by a hit and run.

I will say the hit and run plot line is my least favorite because, while it is tied up eventually, it’s abandoned very early and not really mentioned. While I do get that this is addressed by the characters in the book and they discuss why it’s abandoned, it’s still lacks believability to me. Even after threatening messages show up throughout the town, I think a small town would still mourn/discuss/investigate the loss of a beloved teacher.

Don’t let that dissuade you from reading, though, because I think most things work. Ellery and Malcolm, a local teen, share the job of telling the story and both characters are likeable and have easy voices to read (even if Ellery does have that one annoying trait). My only complaint there is that, of the two twins, Ezra was much more interesting to me and I would have almost rather it be told from his perspective than Ellery’s, but I still think it was the right choice from a literary standpoint. Because of Ellery’s personality, her voice telling the story brings everything much more full circle.

Let me tell you about the ending without spoilers. Okay, I know I’ve touched on it already, but let me ask: any Gilmore Girls fans in the house? Remember all the build up over those “last four words?” And how disappointing they were? This book ends on a reveal and it’s not disappointing at all. It isn’t five words and they feels great to read. So read it!!

5/5

https://bibwithblog.blogspot.com/2018/11/can-you-keep-secret-review-of-karen-m.html?m=1

Thanks to Netgalley I was able to read this pre-publication. Like her first book, One of Us is Lying, this book is a murder mystery with teens at the heart of the story. I had a bit of a problem connecting with one of the main characters at first but as the book went along the events pulled me in. In the small town of Echo Ridge, there have been two unsolved murders that took place years apart. When twins Ellery and Ezra move to Echo Ridge, they get caught up in both past events and a new situation that impacts them as well as the friends they have made. Lots of twists and turns and revelations in this book will keep you reading and interested until the end! Enjoy!

*Thank you so much Random House Children’s Publishing for providing an e-arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
*may contain very minor spoilers
4.25 / 5 stars

Karen M. McManus masterfully crafts a suspenseful tale with many twists and turns in Two Can Keep a Secret. I really love how the title connects so well with the story. While it may not seem evident at first, by the end of the story the reader will be able to better see how this title fits. I was intrigued at the beginning of the story by the setting alone. The story is set in a small-town known as Echo Ridge. Ellery has never been to the hometown of her mother, but due to circumstances she must move there with her brother. Mysterious intrigue begins right at the beginning of the book, which was a great inclusion. I also really liked the backstory that we receive about the history of the town. I like that the author created a town that is “picture-perfect, but it’s hiding secrets.” This quote from the synopsis is certainly appropriate for what is revealed throughout the entire story.

I really appreciated how McManus used two alternating POVs to tell this story. I’ll admit that I was a little apprehensive towards this at first, but I really ended up enjoying both of these characters. Through both of these POVs the lives of other members of the town are able to come to life more as things begin to be revealed. Through Ellery we get a new, fresh perspective of the town. Ellery is able to look more at the mysteries of this town with fresh eyes. However, I wish her character did work with this a bit more. It seems like she was determined at the beginning to work to uncover the truth, but after a while this fell a bit flat until the end. Malcolm is the contrast to Ellery in perspective. Malcolm has lived in this town his entire life and he has lived as well as been impacted by these events.

I was very pleased by the ending of this book. I thought that everything was well explained and played out nicely. This is definitely a good young adult mystery that I can recommend. I know that a lot of my students would love to read a book like this. I will have to say that there is some mature subject in this book at times that would be better suited for an audience that is ages 16+.

Loved this one! My students and I adored Karen McManus' debut novel and this is a strong follow-up. I enjoyed all of the twists and did not correctly guess the ending, which is always a plus for me. I think my students will really love this one and I'll be pre-ordering it for my classroom library.

#TwoCanKeepaSecret
I enjoyed this book, but there were times when is was slow and lost my interest. I like Ms. McManus's writing and think that book has a solid plot it is just missing something for me. It is a must read for anyone who enjoys mysteries.

I love McMans' writing style, which in my opinion saved this book. I did not find it to be the most engaging and slow to read at times. I am personally not a fan of teenage sleuthing and I was getting fed up by the end with trying to guess who done it that I didn't really care when I found out. This is not the worst follow up to a great debut novel I've read, but as usually not as strong as debut either.

First line: If I believed in omens, this would be a bad one.

Summary: Ellery and Ezra move to live with their grandmother in the small town, Echo Ridge. This idyllic little town has a dark past. The twins’ aunt disappeared here more than 20 years ago. Another girl was murdered at the local theme park. Now there is a stalker bringing back the old memories and threatening the homecoming court. Ellery, a true crime enthusiast, is determined to get some answers. However, there everyone has a secret making it even harder to unravel the mysteries of Echo Ridge.

Highlights: I was really excited to get an advance copy of this book. I really enjoyed the author’s debut novel, One Of Us Is Lying. From the very beginning the mystery and intrigue presented to the reader. I loved how fast paced everything was. I liked all the little twists and turn throughout. I kept considering all different angles and was shocked when the killer is revealed. Great job, Karen! The characters were a lot of fun. I really wish we could have gotten more of Sadie, the twins’ mom. I want to visit Fright Farm, the Halloween theme park. Who doesn’t want to have Halloween all year around?

Lowlights: There are lot of characters and the chapters bounce back and forth between Ellery and Malcolm. I had a hard time keeping track of who was saying what. I think I needed to pay more attention to the chapter titles. So this may be more my fault rather than the books.

FYI: Perfect for fans of Sara Shepard’s, Pretty Little Liars series.

Really great follow up to OOUIL. This one is more of a classic teen horror story, similar to the ones I enjoyed in the 90's, but fresh and updated for a new generation. Nice work Karen!

I read the previous book One of Is is Lying and I was disappointed that I figured out the whodunnit almost immediately. This novel however kept me guessing until the very end. Lots or red herrings!

Twins Ezra and Elbert are sent to love with their Nana due to their mother’s stint in rehab for opioid addiction. Twenty years ago their aunt Sarah, also a twin, disappeared without a trace and then another girl Lacey disappeared. Elbert, a true crime fanatic, is determined to fail be the mystery.

Loved the characters and the pacing. I do think the ending was a bit rushed.

This was a fun, mystery read. I also enjoyed the other title in this "series" called One of Us is Lying, but you definitely don't need to have read that one to read this. I enjoyed the characters and felt they were well-developed and likable. The red herrings were pretty decent and I didn't have a clue who the killer was going to wind up being. I don't think I'll have any trouble selling this one to my high school students.

This book was really intense to read. Every page there was something new developing in the plot and I never knew how powerful secrets are until reading this book. Keeping secrets is a good quality to have but this book took it one step further in letting it be the key to your survival in the town of Echo-Ridge. Echo-Ridge is a very ironic name for a town where keeping secrets is the key to happiness. Watching Ellery go through Echo-Ridge, discovering unfortunate events and disappearances kept my eyes glued to the page, never wanting to stop reading.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Childrens for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. We will definitely consider adding this title to our YFiction collection. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Strong YA mystery that does not disappoint! McManus had me guessing until the very end. Fans of One of Us is Lying will be thrilled for story by McManus; she gives us a new setting, new characters, and new mystery involving many generations of families in a small town in Vermont.

Twins Ellery and Ezra are headed to Echo Falls Vermont, to live with their grandmother after their mother Sadie checks into rehab. Sadie was never keen on the place. She fled town as soon as she could after her twin disappeared years ago, returning only once to attend the funeral of a neighbor's daughter, the homecoming queen found murdered at an amusement park. As the two try to settle in, history starts to repeat itself with another missing girl, and another homecoming threat. And the twins realize that secrets never stay hidden in small towns, no matter who wants them to.

An engaging thriller that moved along quickly. The cast of characters is large and confusing at the beginning, especially since it involves multiple generations of murders and missing girls. Ellery's true crime habit makes an easy excuse for why a teenage girl is playing amateur sleuth (though she really is terrible at guessing clues). Were there a few too many twists? Sure. Will I remember them a few days after reading this book? Probably not. But for what it is - a fast-paced teenage mystery - it does the job well.

Everything was set up so perfectly. I read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. The characters were well developed, the theories were well thought out, and that last sentence was fantastic.

Ellery and her twin brother Ezra move to Vermont from California while their mother Sadie is in rehab. The town they move to is where their mother grew up, and it has a history of murder and mysterious disappearances. Twenty years ago, Sadie's own twin sister Sarah went missing, and five years ago the homecoming queen, Lacey, was found murdered. Both mysteries have gone unsolved until now.

But shortly after Ellery moves to her mother's hometown, the mystery comes to life again. First, mysterious and ominous messages about the girls on the homecoming court start appearing around town, and then one of Ellery's new friends (a girl on the same homecoming court) goes missing.

This book is truly a mystery and very intriguing. Five years ago, Lacey's boyfriend Declan was accused but not convicted of her murder, and now people have started to look at his little brother Malcolm (one of Ellery and Ezra's new friends) with suspicion.

Readers will find this book super interesting, and in my opinion, well written. I hardly wanted to stop reading whenever I picked it up. The ending was surprising, something I didn't actually guess, which makes the book all the better. Pick up this book when it comes out in January!

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this electronic arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

This book is the perfect YA suspense read. Like Ashley Ellston, McManus manages to create more believable teens than many YA authors. They aren't "too cool" or "too put together." The story in Two Can Keep a Secret focuses on twin siblings Ellery and Ezra, suddenly sent to live in their single-mother's small town. Secrets abound in town, and any teen who obsessively watches crime and investigation shows will immediately identify with Ellery and her quest for answers. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus. I have been a huge McManus fan ever since I read One of Us is Lying earlier this year, so I was ecstatic to get a copy of this book before it was released to the public. I was worried that the book wouldn't live up to her first, but it exceeded my expectations- I honestly think I liked Two Can Keep a Secret More. It had my attention from the very first page, and I found myself reading as quickly as I could to get to the end. I don't want to give anything away, but McManus is a genius in regards to twists! This book is so great!

I loved this book! The full review will be posted soon at kaitgoodwin.com/books! Thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity to connect books to their readers!