Book Review
Rating 3.5

You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus was an interesting read. The story was told from multiple perspectives which helps the reader stay engaged. I liked getting to know more about the characters separately rather than just focusing on one. This book has a strong plot but I don’t think it was executed well. While the book was interesting I did find myself getting bored at times. There wasn’t enough suspense or thrilling points to keep me fully interested in the outcome. I also wasn’t too surprised with the ‘twist’ ending. I’m not sure if I had too high of expectations but I can see others really enjoying this book.

If you haven’t read it, I also recommend “The Cousins” by Karen M. McManus which was a 5 star from me.

**Received a copy from #Netgalley in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

This was a pretty solid offering from McManus. There were plenty of twists and shocking revelations.

I am a huge Karen M. McManus fan. Her work introduced me to YA mysteries and I have read her entire portfolio since. However, this book needs a lot of work. The first third is incredibly slow. I get that we need to know a lot of this background information but I think the murder could have happened sooner. Then, a bunch of messy twists. In the end, the book just wasn't as polished as her other work. I would recommend her other books before this one.

Small thing: If I had to read the name Boney one more time! It drove me crazy! I would have much preferred his given name, Brian, over this nickname. It didn't quite fit with how he looked. Perhaps it wouldn't have been such a bit deal if I had a better understanding of who he was before plot point 1.

I can't deny this was fun, but it was also way too convoluted. At times, I was completely lost on what was happening and who was a suspect. It started out really interesting but quickly became dull and I was just eager to see it end.

And what was that ending!? Is there supposed to be a sequel? If so, I think I'll pass.

A solid YA mystery that feels like Ferris Bueller's Day Off! Three old friends decide to skip school together and stumble on a murder and must work together while protecting their own secrets. I didn't 100% buy why they decided they wanted to skip together since they clearly aren't friends anymore (🤷‍♀️), but once they got together, it was fun to see what caused their friendship to deteriorate and what they were hiding from one another. I didn't think there was a real wow factor in this book and like all YA mysteries - no one thinks to go to authorities or their parents with trouble and prefer to solve a murder on their own. This reads a bit slower to get into for the majority of the first half but the second half is full of twists and pulls the story together well!

Karen McManus has exceptional talent when it comes to writing books about high school students and their various escapades, as shown in her previous books including One Of Us Is Lying, One Of Us Is Next, and Two Can Keep A Secret. Yes, these are probably marketed as YA books, but just as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is more than a teenage movie, her latest look at a group of teenagers, somewhat creepily entitled You’ll Be The Death Of Me, is a fun and insightful story about young people and their “big adventure.”

Cal, Ivy, and Mateo have been friends for years, although they have grown apart since entering Carlton High. As Cal notes, “Ivy and Mateo were the best friends I ever had, but I’ve barely spoken to them since eighth grade.” Several years ago, they shared a fantastic time (a perfect day, as they remember it) when they all ditched school together. Now, Ivy has just lost election for class president to the class clown, Mateo is suffering burnout from working two jobs as he tries to help his family since their business failed, and Cal is continuing his string of failed attempts at a relationship. When they serendipitously run into each other in the school parking lot one morning, they decide to recreate their perfect day by ditching school again.

Ivy is an overachiever who just doesn’t feel like she fits in with her family, including her golden boy brother and exceptional parents. She knows that “The problem with my parents is that they’ve never failed at anything.”…and “As usual, I’m an afterthought in the Sterling-Shepherd household.” Mateo’s cousin Autumn has come to live with his family, and is going to any lengths to help them stay afloat, including getting involved with drug dealing.

The three of them take off for the day, and see another student skipping out on school, so they follow him to what turns out to change their “perfect day” from boring to deadly. Think Ferris Bueller with murder, drugs, teenage love, and a bit of danger thrown in. Cal, Mateo, and Ivey each have a connection with the victim, and they are each hiding something that is revealed gradually as the story unfolds.

Nice plotting, the characters are well developed, and it was a great diversion from the news on a rainy weekend! With thanks to Random House Delacorte and NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for this honest review, this is a solid four stars.

This book is perfect for many reasons. It’s an after school special dealing with a lot of heavy hitting issues wrapped into a YA thriller that keeps you entertained. It’s fast paced with short chapters which I adore in a thriller. There is a small lull about midway, but it picks back up quickly and the ending was brilliant and left me wanting more to this story.

A mystery thriller for teens and adults alike, You'll Be the Death of Me has been hailed as a Ferris Bueller's Day Off murder-mystery and that description could not be more perfect! I loved it and I know my students will love it. As an 80s kid, my favorite line in the story might be one copycatted from the Ferris Bueller attendance scene with Ben Stein... my sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend... do not wait to grab a copy for yourself, your children or your students. Loved it! Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to preview #YoullBeTheDeathofMe by Karen M. McManus!

After reading One of Us is Lying, I quickly became a fan of Karen M McManus — and I honestly feel like she gets better with each release. You'll Be the Death of Me is my favourite of her books yet, it was really enjoyable!

I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in this book. Ivy, Cal and Mateo are all so unique and compelling on their own, but their group dynamic is really something that pulls you in with each passing chapter. I love that we get some insight into their backstory and the ways in which Boney's murder brings them together — albeit with a few secrets woven throughout.

I think the mystery in this book is really great. I was constantly guessing what I thought would happen and I wasn't able to predict the outcome, which is something I look for in a good mystery book. I think Karen does a great job of leading her reader in one direction and then coming out of left field and creating an alternative that makes so much sense, but you still didn't see it coming.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one and am so looking forward to her next release in 2022.

Thanks for letting me read an early copy!

A day off turns deadly for three old friends, in the exciting new thriller by ONE OF US IS LYING author Karen M. McManus!

Told from the multiple viewpoints of the three leads, the story is fast-paced and exciting. The suspense of what was going to happen next kept me glued to my chair! I loved the interaction between the main characters and how it contributed toward their development. I’ve immensely enjoyed all of Karen’s books and YOU’LL BE THE DEATH OF ME is a solid YA mystery that does not disappoint.

Not gonna lie, this one took a second to get into but I did still enjoy it in the end even though it was extremely predictable and I had everything figured out very early on. I really loved the characters though I am starting to wonder if Karen M Mcmanus doesn't have something against queer rep that ISNT gay men because she includes it in all of her books but it's ALWAYS a gay man - what's up with that?

I can breathe a sigh of relief! After hating The Cousins and feeling meh about One of Us Is Next, I love another Karen McManus book!

This one definitely earned its Ferris Bueller connection (I think Mateo is Ferris, Cal is Cameron, and Ivy is Sloane). It was so entertaining- it kept me flipping pages and gave me the feels that One of us is Lying did. It also had something to say about the opioid crisis, which gave it an added layer.

I almost gave it a 4 star rating, because the big “whodunnit reveal” was underwhelming, but then we got one more twist just at the tail end and I was like YES. That’s so fitting!

Librarian opinion: put this towards the top of your tbr and read it ASAP (and I read it- not sure how the audiobook who be actually). This is very enjoyable for teens & adults.

—y o u l l b e t h e d e a t h o f m e—⁣⁣
You’ll Be The Death of Me is the latest release from queen of the YA thriller @karenmmcmanus. Fans of hers (ME) will not be disappointed. This book seriously delivers. The characters are likeable but complex. The plot is pitch perfect in its pacing. The twists are unexpected and fun. Through and through, this book gets my stamp of approval. ⁣⁣
—⁣⁣
Estranged former besties overachiever Ivy, heartthrob with complex family dynamic Mateo, and on-the-outside-looking-in Cal randomly cross paths and decide to skip school together. All hell breaks loose and nothing is as it seems when the trio stumble upon the scene of the murder of one of their classmates. ⁣⁣
—⁣⁣
The book is like Ferris Bueller in Boston with a side of murder and I’m here for it.⁣⁣
—⁣⁣
Thank you so much to @netgalley and @delacortepress for my eARC. I loved every second. ⁣⁣
—⁣⁣
#bookreview #netgalley #netgalleyreview

Murder mysteries are my top circulating books this year, so I knew I had to have You'll Be the Death of Me by Karen McManus and she does not disappoint with this take on friends who have bonded over a stolen day, a la Ferris Bueller. What's different about this McManus book is that we are getting a bit edgier, diving into the opioid crisis and tackling some class issues. This adds an edge to this page-turner that makes it more than meets the eye. Important to note, I'll be adding the title to my middle school collection - it has friendship and values questions that make it a great read for eighth-grade students preparing for high school. Trust, friends that fall by the wayside, and what people do to overcome life's challenges are all at the forefront - key issues to consider for students who have dealt with change.

I really have liked her other work. This took me a bit to get into. A little bit of a slower start. But not bad. Definitely something that’s easy enough to read once you get going.

I really enjoyed the story of Cal, Ivy and Mateo. Their friendship which started with an unexpected adventure in 6th grade and lasted through middle school kind of faded away in High School. Now each of them are going through a personal crisis and find themselves outside the High School parking lot. They decide to ditch school and spend the day in Boston. It will be the perfect way to get their mind off their problems. Then they find the dead body of a classmate and find themselves on the run. This is a classic Karen M. McManus page turner told from each of their perspectives. Her characters are well drawn, relatable and the pacing keeps you turning the pages. Thank you #NetGalley for my advance copy.

Another fantastic YA thriller from Karen McManus! Fans of the author's other work will love this title! Full of twists and turns, McManus keeps you guessing right up until the end. I loved the way the story was wrapped up and how most questions were answered.

I think this may be my favorite Karen McManus book yet. The story had such an engaging game of clue and I really was surprised up until the last moment. I loved the characters. It was so easy to want Cal, Ivy, and Mateo to all come out on top when it seemed like someone was bound to be left behind. I could definitely see a sequel working well this this plot line and hope there is one on the horizon.

This is the first book I have read by McManus and I was not disappointed. I love the alternating viewpoints she used between the 3 main characters. I like that I wasn't able to easily predict what was going to happen next or who the murderer was. It is definitely one of those books that is hard to put down. The ending leaves it wide open to continue the story as well. I am excited to see where it goes and to read other books by McManus.

Ivy, Mateo, and Cal used to be close. Now all they have in common is Carlton High and the beginning of a very bad day. Ivy lost the election to the class clown. Mateo is burned out due to working two jobs since his family’s business failed. And outsider Cal just got stood up . . . again. When the trio run into each other outside of school, it seems like the perfect chance to reminisce, reconnect, and ditch school. That is, until the follow a fellow student ditching school, right to where he gets murdered. Each of the three have a connection to the dead teen. Could their chance connections really be chance? Ferris Bueller’s Day off gone wrong, this intense mystery plot is engaging, intriguing, and draws the readers into the book. The characters are unreliable narrators, complex, and mysterious. For fans of murder mysteries and James Patterson’s Confessions of a Murder Suspect this is must-read. 5 stars, 14 and up.