The Cousins is true "slow burn". To me, it felt so unlike anything else that Karen M. McManus has written. The first 60% or so was almost rather boring, it wasn't a page turner, and I kept putting it down. There's a big overarching mystery here for "The Cousins" to find out why there grandmother disinherited there parents 24 years ago, but there's no current murder/slasher whodunnit happening in the present day for the most part of this book. Its more of just a contemporary family drama, unraveling lies and secrets and deception. Did I enjoy it? Yes. It had a wild ending. But it's not the book I've come to expect with "by Karen M. Mcmanus" on the cover. It really was too slow and you had to suspend your disbelief would these children really have went 24 years without ever attempting to contact / see their mother just because of a letter they receive. Despite some of ther plot decisions, Karen's writing style however is so good, she creates wonderful realistic teen characters and creates such unique personalities for them. That's always my favorite aspect of her books.

I still really liked the end but there was way too much buildup. I hope McManus's next book is more of a whodunnit. This book she seemed more to focus on the "why did they do it."

Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.

This was bad. The plot was slow moving and not very original. My biggest gripe though was all the brothers names were so similar I had no idea who was who. And the ending sucked and usually McManus hits her endings out of the park. I’m disappointed.

A classic mystery thriller from the eyes of several teenagers, you’ll wish this was a summer you had. The twists (and there are several) that come out of this are not ones expected which makes it a great and enticing must read.

I will post this review and my star rating to Goodreads on November 17, and to booksellers at publication.

Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah--three cousins that have never met, but all have the same question: why was my parent cut out of the family fortune?

If you're read "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart, you're in for a treat! McManus's "The Cousins" has a similar feel and features a private island off the coast of Massachusetts where the Story family lives in luxury and secrecy. Everyone wants to know the meaning behind the words, "you know what you did." Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah, although reluctant, set out to unravel the mystery and walk through a set of twists and turns that are now standard for the McManus empire.

I liked this story, but if you're a newbie to McManus, definitely start with One of Us is Lying!

3.75 stars - couldn’t quite give it a 4. This one was slow to get going & I was never “all in”, although there was a great climax. There were so many characters to keep track of, including a handful of siblings all with “A” names. The title and cover are not the greatest and kind of fit my overall feelings...it was okay, but not great.

I will read anything Karen M. McManus writes, and The Cousins is no exception. Even when I thought I had everything figured out, she still managed to shock me with a plot twist at the end, as always. I finished this book in a single weekend and found all the teen drama to be so refreshing with everything else happening in the world right now. The only thing that I wasn't a particular fan of was the romance: it felt too forced and unnecessary for me. I still enjoyed the book immensely, though, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good mystery.

Karen McManus has done it again! The Cousins is another mystery that will have readers guessing until the very end. In this story, three cousins are brought to work on a resort island off the coast of Massachusetts for their estranged and very wealthy grandmother. As the three cousins become friends, you get the back stories of their parents and try to solve what happened to make their mother disown them twenty years ago. The three cousins start to unravel the mystery of past mistakes, deceit, and betrayal as they navigate their families dysfunctions and grow to see that what tears them apart can also bring them together.

Karen McManus has done it again! This YA mystery twists and turns along with the best kind of character development, and nestled, this time, in a perfect summertime scene of a Nantucket-like island. Cousins, invited to their mysterious grandmother’s summer resort, itch to discover the reason why she cut off all ties with her four children so many years ago. Along the way, they learn a lot about themselves and how they fit into the family legacy- or if they do. McManus masterfully builds suspense while endearing readers to even flawed characters, entertaining and educating readers, both adolescent and adult. This book, like her first, One of Us Is Lying, feels like a gift to YA.

I love anything Karen McManus writes. This was no exception. Three cousins are summoned to an island by their never-have-met grandmother. Family secrets and money are the crux of the mystery. It's the cousins' job to find out what's going on. Quick read. Super twisty. Loved it.

Jonah, Milly, and Aubrey are three cousins who really have never met each other. Shortly after their grandfather died, and before they were all born their grandma disinherited all of her children. Now high school students they all receive the same letter from their grandma, through someone else asking them to come work for her at her resort for the summer. Shortly after they get to the resort they find the person who invited them no longer works there any their grandma is shocked by their arrival and is less then thrilled.

They start finding usual things about their family and uncover some of the Story family secrets.

Perfect for fans of We Were Liars, The Cousins proves that McManus can deliver again. Set on the fictional Gull Cove Island, The Cousins will give readers the same Martha's Vineyard vibe as E. Lockhart's We Were Liars. The family intrigue was similar, but still fresh and original. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the mystery, and without spoiling anything, I really appreciated how McManus always plays fair with her clues. You have all the clues... but will you be able to put it together? Thank you to the publishers for my Advanced Readers Copy on NetGalley!

I was stoked when I got an advanced copy of this book to read, because I love Karen M. McManus, and WHEW, let me tell you, she has done it again! Right off the bat we get into it with the discovery that Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah's uber-rich grandmother very abruptly cut their parents off with a mysterious one-lined letter - "You know what you did."

Uh, yeah. I'm hooked! What did they do, y'all? I must know!

As more pieces of the story came together, I cycled through a variety of theories, and I was pretty proud of myself when one of my theories ended up being half right - nailed it! Sort of. Basically.

I don't even want to talk about the book itself for fear of saying something that accidentally gives away part of the mystery and ruining it for someone else, so let me just say that Karen McManus's super power seems to be writing ending scenes that are so intense they force a gasped "OH S***!" out of me as I read. Seriously, it's 4/4 at this point. Karen knows how to put pedal to the metal when the mystery starts coming to a head and then not let up until the final pages.

4.5 I liked "The Cousins" as much or better than "One of Us is Lying." It's got great character development, a unique plot, and LOTS of nice turns and twists. This book read a bit more believably for me even with all the family drama and heartbreak and emotional upheaval.

Karen M. McManus strikes again! With a plot that doesn’t let up, enough twists and turns that keeps the reader on their toes, definitely keeps the momentum from the “One of Us is Lying” series. Some of the twists I caught and some I didn’t, which is always a good feeling. Readers who know her will gobble this right up, and readers who are just being introduced will want to read the rest of her books.

Karen McManus does it again with this YA mystery. Three cousins are mysteriously offered jobs at their grandmothers resort. The biggest problem is the grandmother broke all ties with her children 24 years prior. No one knows why, which make the offer even more mysterious. The cousins do go but all for different reasons. Once there they realize there is more the their family and their grandmother than anyone knew. I love this book as well as the kids' banter. I'd recommend it for ages 12+.

Another excellent YA thriller / mystery by Karen McManus who seems to have an endlessly twisted repertoire of stories stored in her brain. These books are hard to put down — well-written with engaging characters and a set of twists that I never quite figure out until it is too late.

The Cousins is about three cousins who are each invited to work at the resort owned by the grandmother who cut off all ties with their parents decades ago. Secrets abound and are unraveled at just the right pace. While it is labeled as a thriller, and I was on the edge of my seat, I didn’t find it to be anxiety provoking. Thriller-lite?

As a side note, isn’t it funny that teen angst is so refreshing in a pandemic? It’s so soluble!

:Karen McManus certainly has a way with keeping her readers in suspense until the very end of her books, and that is the case again with “The Cousins”. With lots of different characters and a great setting, this book could easily pull you into the story of the “Story” family and the mystery behind why the children are disinherited. Read the epilogue at the end,

This was an enjoyable book, read in 1 day, kept me very engaged. Will be interesting the read when released. Should reach a large group on YA readers.

I received an ARC of The Cousins by Karen McManus through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

The books starts slow to build the background and get the reader invested in the characters. It is written in alternate POV's of Milly, Aubrey and Jonah with some flashbacks from Milly's mother Allison. Lots of twists and turns throughout the story to keep you guessing.

Karen McManus has definitely done it again. Fans of her previous books will not be disappointed! I can't wait to recommend this one to my students and teachers.

I highly recommend this YA book for anyone who likes mysteries (including adults).

This is her best one yet! Ever since "One of us is lying" she has astounded us with her plot twists. The fact that you Ajay think you know what's galangal is her true gift. I highly recommend this addition.