I couldn't book this book down, but that's typical for a McManus title. I wish we got to know more about the victim, but I loved the three main characters, and the plot moved quickly with lots of twists and turns.

Beautifully written with sub-plots woven into an intricate piece, "you'll be the death of me" is a murder mystery surrounding 3 high school former best friends who meet again on a seemingly unfortunate day as the story unravels.
We have Ivy, the undiagnosed OCD topper with Cal who makes a web comic and Mateo, the silent broody guy.
The fun thing about this book is that it all happens in one day. One day.Overall I enjoyed this book just as much as any other McManus' book. It was a quick read filled with mystery until the very last page.

"You'll Be the Death of Me" was an absolutely amazing read! I have read all of Karen M. McManus books and can say this is up there with my favorites. This story follows some great main characters that you personally get to know and love as each chapter is written from the point of view of the characters. This murder-mystery will leave you thrilled and captivated until the very end taking you on a twisty turn of events around every corner! I would definitely recommend this for summer reading to my class or winter break reading.

I've gotten to the point now that this author is an automatic buy for me. This novel was excellent. I wasn't sure what was going to happen at the beginning as the characters were introduced, but they take a Ferris Bueller type day off and find themselves suspected of murder. I loved the change in the characters as the story went, and just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, there was a twist. A great mystery!

With twists and turns in classic McManus YA style, You'll Be the Death of Me, is a suspenseful novel. It didn't necessarily suit my tastes as an adult reader, as some of the plot points were contrived and obvious red herrings, but within its target market, I can see this being a popular library check out!

3.5 stars
This novel has all the trademarks of a McManus YA novel- relationship drama, multiple points of view, and at least one dead body. It also has a lot of red herrings for the sake of twists, and secrets that build tension until they're revealed and the repercussions are never quite what you expect them to be. As an adult reader I found this to be a fast read, while also a mostly superficial story that skims over some of the bigger issues raised. Most of it doesn't feel as plausible as One of Us is Lying or even The Cousins, but that can sometimes be the fun of fiction.

This book doesn’t come out until November 30, and I’ve already got a waiting list in my school library. Even kids who don’t like to read enjoy Karen McManus’ books! One student was telling me last week that she loves the way McManus shows the different characters’ perspectives so well. I had this one sitting on my NetGalley shelf at the time, and I went ahead and started reading it after that conversation. I happened to see that student while we were outside for a fire drill a couple of days ago, so I updated her with the news that McManus does it again: The main characters’ points-of-view, with all the secrets and dramatic irony, are the strength of this thriller.

Because I’m a chronic over-analyzer, I read books like this differently than I would have as a teenager. I see much of myself in Ivy, bless her heart, and I wish I could sit her down and tell her what I’ve learned over the years. She’s got to be an Enneagram Type 3. Then I got started on trying to figure out which Enneagram types Mateo and Cal would be, but I got derailed by questioning whether I really knew enough about them to make that determination. (Maybe…Mateo is a Type 8 and Cal is a Type 6?) Does that mean she develops Ivy’s character that much more effectively, or do I connect with Ivy more because she’s the one who most reflects me?

As an educator, I’d like to point out to my students that when these seniors skip school for a day, the result is a very stressful, scary, murder-centric day. They certainly don’t have the nice relaxing day off, free from the stresses of school, that they envision. Just sayin’.

This book does touch on some big topics, which I won’t list because they would be plot spoilers. These are topics that certainly deserve thorough development and exploration for adolescent readers, but I appreciate that McManus’ willingness to broach the subjects without going too deep allows the novel to be approachable for a range of audiences, not just the older students who are mature enough to handle a detailed realistic portrayal of those issues. (Does that make sense outside of my head?)

Exciting plot, intriguing characters who garner your sympathy, and twists and turns that keep coming…this novel will be a popular one in my library!

I've read all of Karen McManus' books and every one is better than the last. I recommend her books frequently and just added them to our library spooky October display.

When I saw this was an option to review, I quickly requested it because I have really enjoyed all of Karen McManus’s novels before. I was thrilled to learn I got approved to review it. Even though this ARC was given to me in exchange for my opinion, the below review is my own unbiased and honest opinions.

Again, another quick, fast-paced novel from Karen McManus and I could not put it down. I love a good mystery and was very excited to dive right into this read. I got caught up reading it, but I guess, ultimately, I was a little let down by the overall mystery. It was fine, sure, but nothing that made me gasp and clutch my pearls in disbelief. All the mysteries that were revealed were a little predictable. However, this was still an enjoyable read and great if you need something quick to read on a cool, fall day.

I can’t say its particularly memorable, however, and that’s mostly because, as I stated above, it was predictable. I doubt, when I look back at my Goodreads “read” list, that I will remember the main points at all. The writing is fun, the characters are a little one note, and I didn’t really get a sense of a lot of world building. I guess McManus isn’t really known for that, and known more for writing interesting and complex characters. However, that was lacking in this novel. As I said, the characters were one note: an artist, a brooding heartthrob, and a spastic female character overly concerned with “being good” and doing well in school. There’s not too much beyond that to describe the three main characters. I wish they were a little more complex but unfortunately I found them to follow every other teenage character troupe found in many YA books.

I really don’t have much else to say. It was a fun, fast paced mystery read if that is what you are in the mood for this fall; a good escape for a day, if you will (because that’s how long it took me to read it) but if you are looking for something more complex, memorable, and deep, you won’t find that in this book. Overall, three stars as I know this is a type of book YA readers love to seek out, but for me, I wish it had more substance. Fun nonetheless.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy of this to review! Karen McManus is always sure to produce a mystery that you’ll be hooked on until the end, with plenty of twists and turns. And this one is sure to keep you reading until that last twist!

McManus knows how to spin high school thrillers with a cast of characters that always make things interesting. Throughout this book, there are plenty of red herrings; just when you think you have things figured out, something else comes into play. This makes the book exciting and easy to fly through.

Additionally, each of the three main characters are equally fleshed out. You can tell that they have good chemistry together, making the book even more interesting and exciting. They each have a distinct voice that helps in adding to the mystery.

While making the story happen in 24 hours definitely helps with the pacing of the book, I think expanding the timeline just a bit would have helped in fleshing out some of the minor details. However, fans of McManus’s previous books will definitely enjoy her latest installment.

This my first McManus book and I have got to tell you: Karen’s writing styler is WONDERFUL. I can see why there is so much hype about her books. The pacing was amazing, the characters had a great dynamic (no matter which combination). Cal was my favorite, I just wanted my boy to be appreciated. Although this is one of my favorite trios. Also, there were more than a few surprises in this book which is always a plus.

I can’t wait to dive into more of Karen’s books, I’m kicking myself I didn’t get started earlier.

The book was well-written, but I was kind of bored. I wasn’t drawn in to finish it, but I did. Took a while to get to the end. I liked the twist, but ultimately the book just didn’t resonate.

Thank you Netgalley and Delacorte Press for an eARC of You'll Be the Death of Me, which pubs on November 30th! If you're a YA mystery and thriller lover, I'm sure you're familiar with Karen McManus - but if not, what on earth you waiting for!? This book has been one of my most anticipated releases of 2021 and did not disappoint. This book is described as Ferris Bueller's day off (with murder) which couldn't be more accurate. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What's it about?
Ivy, Cal & Mateo used to be close but have drifted apart. They try to relive an old ditch day from school when everything goes terribly wrong. They follow a classmate to the scene of his own murder. As they try to figure out what exactly just happened, it's revealed that they're all connected to the student, and they all have a secret.

✨Multiple POVs executed perfectly
✨A little YA romance - yes, I'm shipping HARD
✨A twisty conclusion that I didn't see coming
✨McManus' endings are always done well - they don't just end, she allows you to fall in love with the characters and connect with them and their lives
✨An OMG ending! Seriously, are you gonna leave us hanging? Looks like we can expect a sequel, I can only hope! 😜

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and were not affected by the free copy.

Ivy just lost her senior year Student Council Presidential Election to the class clown that ran as a joke; Mateo has been attending high school while working 2 jobs to help his mom since her business failed; and Cal just got stood up, again. They used to be close, but that was a long time ago. But when they all happen to run into each other in the school parking lot, they decide to ditch school and go into the city. The bad day is only prepared to get so much worse; when they see another classmate ditching school, they decide to follow him...to his own murder!

I've been really into mystery books lately. This one was good, not great. I didn't have too much of a connection with any of the characters, except for maybe Mateo-at least, until he goes off the deep end in rage. Cal is extremely naïve, Ivy is a bit controlling, and clear Mateo has a temper; granted, he had a reason to be very mad, but man, he's harsh when he's upset. I definitely wanted a bit more thrill in this book. The first half is them just walking around the city, trying to figure out what's going on, but without the action. The second half is much better action-wise. There were a few false leads to throw us off, and the big reveal was pretty decent.

I'm not really sure what was going on with the final chapter, resolution-wise? D just came out of nowhere, and from what I can tell, for no good reason? I'm assuming there's going to be a second novel, since Ivy said she's going scorched earth. It just seems to be a very odd ending if there's no sequel. If there is, I will be reading it, it just won't be a priority in my TBR.

Karen McManus does it AGAIN!! After suffering a long reading slump, this book has pulled me back in. I honestly can’t tell you why I find McManus’ writing so absorbing. But I just pick up her work and can’t put it down. Doesn’t matter the storyline. But this one? All of the drama takes place in the span of a single day and it’s fast pace was enthralling. Her characters are multidimensional, and Ivy, Mateo, and Cal are no exception. Even their unlikable qualities are endearing and she has so much skill with allowing their paths and stories intertwine. I loved it. Can’t wait to recommend it to students!!

McManus does not disappoint! Her books just keep getting better. This one definitely gave me OOUIL vibes and I absolutely loved it! The characters were very fleshed out and the twists and turns this book had, had me guessing until the end. Highly recommend.

Another one by McManus I couldn't put down! Each chapter contains the perfect amount of suspense to keep me hooked.

Let me start by saying that I am a HUGE Karen M. McManus fan. She is one of the few authors who's an auto-buy for me. "By Karen M. McManus". Me: MUST READ NOW!

Okay, so this is your typical Karen McManus book. Mystery, murder, great pacing and high schoolers who are in over their heads. This book grabbed my attention from the very beginning and did not let up. Ferris Bueller, murder mystery and mix in a little childhood friends-to-lovers, what's not to like?

Did I have some minor issues with this book? Yes. I normally love when the title starts to make sense and when it actually shows up in the story, but 'You'll Be the Death of Me' is just scattered throughout this book and shows up in the most random places. Like the author just placed it there for the sake of having the title in the story.

Now let's talk about that ending because holy cliffhanger! WHAT even was that? Please say that this will be a series. Duology? No way is this a standalone.

All in all, this was a fun and wild ride!

Karen McManus has done it again! This "fun" teen murder mystery explores ideas of friendship, complicitly, consent, and more as three once-friends reunite for an epic day off...that begins by stumbling across the dead body of their jokester classmate. The Type A girl, the macho one, and the friendless one go on a day's full of adventure to figure out what happened, clear their own name, and get to the bottom of the cesspool of uh-oh in their town. I found this a quick and compelling read that--while about murder etc etc--didn't feel too overwhelming dreadful. I found the ending and the culprit a bit both predictable as a longtime YA reader, but also a bit out of left field for the rest of the book, but LOVED what McManus did in the final chapter.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

True crime fans will not be disappointed in Karen McManus's latest mystery thriller. Multiple points of view, a ditched school day gone wrong, and a town with deep dark secrets will keep you turning pages well into the night. This stand-alone mystery will be enjoyed by readers who liked the author's other books and by any true crime fan.