Member Reviews
A total standout and my favourite book by Karen McManus so far!
This was a multi-layered mystery shrouded in suspense, red herrings, twists, turns and a satisfying ending. I was hooked right from the start and kept guessing throughout. The story is told in the alternating POVs of Brynn and Tripp, both of whom I found very likeable. Not only was I invested in their budding romance as much as the whodunit, the plot also felt believable. For once, I wasn't yelling at the characters to just go to the police like I tend to do in YA thrillers 😂
Nothing More to Tell is such a marked improvement compared to the author's earlier works. Even the setting felt more vivid than usual, with a lot at play e.g. the divide between elites and dregs. Some things didn't come as a total surprise but it was a super fun and enjoyable read overall!
I also loved all the nods to the previous Karen McManus novels! Cue me squealing like a fangirl every time I recognised an Easter egg, which further elevated my feelings about this book. Can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
Like all her books, this multi-POV story is a quick read that keeps the reader engaged in the mystery until the very last reveal. Brynn and Tripp are both likable and sympathetic protagonists who have a sweet building romance throughout. The end twist worked but wasn’t as thrilling as some of her other books, but this one will still satisfy fans of her previous work.
This book was twisty, but I still expected a little more. I enjoyed this more than the author's previous books, it definitely held my attention, but it also dragged a bit in the middle. I wanted more of a resolution, but was happy with what we got. This is a good YA read.
I feel like expectations with this book might be key. Nothing More to Tell cover & early marketing gave dark academia/prep school vibes. The actual book however, does not really have either of those as a feature.
This feels very much like the other books I've read from McManus- a YA contemporary story with a murder mystery plot engine. If you like what she writes, you will probably like this as well. It's reasonably well-executed for what it is, but definitely not what I went in hoping for.
This follows a teen girl moving back to the town where her 8th grade teacher was found dead in the woods. Now she's getting an internship with a true crime show by pitching his death to them as a story. The second perspective is her childhood best friend who found the body and is now socially entwined with the two other people who were with him in the woods. The investigation quickly becomes deadly and there are a lot of people with secrets. A fair amount of emphasis is on toxic and even abusive family dynamics, as well as on the ways our choices impact other people. This isn't a new favorite for me, but I liked it reasonably well and think fans of McManus will probably like it even better. I received an advance copy of this for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
I always love a good mystery, especially one where I have no idea who did it until the very end. This book was very enjoyable to read and a quick read since I enjoyed it so much. I would recommended this to students 7th grade and up as well as adults who enjoy young adult fiction.
After reading "One of Us is Lying," I knew I had to eventually get my hands on another Karen M McManus novel. Nothing More to Tell is the perfect book for fall. A private school & a murder. A perfect pair for the beginning of Autumn reading.
McManus's newest novel is her classic "who-done-it" mystery. I loved Brynn's story gave me so many "American Vandal" vibes I was immediately sold. How can you not be sold by a hilarious weeny prank? Then we get deeper into the lore when Brynn moves back to her old private school & who would have guessed it...the halls are filled with secrets + drama.
Stories where EVERY SINGLE character is unreliable speaks to my soul. They instantly hook me & I am in for the long haul.
This one fell short for me. I think the love story between Tripp & Brynn was adorable but it didn't need to be added. I would have been just as satisfied if they rekindled their friendship. BUT the big thing for me was the reveal & mystery got solved WAY too quickly. I think I would have rated "Nothing More to Tell" higher if the pacing was slower and the story felt more developed.
Great story yet nothing will top her "One of Us is Lying" novel for me.
Of the Karen M. McManus books I've read, I've either thought they were good or just flat out didn't like them. This book unfortunately falls in the latter category, The story felt all over the place, and the characters, gah. I didn't like any of them. I guess a lot of people liked this book, but it just wasn't for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.
It’s not like you don’t know what you’re getting into with a Karen McManus book. Snappy pacing, no sense of setting or atmosphere, and likely an irritating “twist” toward the end that really alters enjoyment of the book. I’ve likened these to an ear worm pop song in the past and this offering is no different, though it is decidedly more lacking in the positive attributes common to McManus’ work.
The suspense and pacing have always been the best part of these books, even if the endings are usually a letdown. But this time around I was bored (perhaps even this aspect took a downturn in quality, or perhaps it just isn’t enough anymore to outweigh the other quality issues that plague these novels.
I always feel the need to assert that we need to demand more out of YA mysteries in terms of smarts and well structured plots. It’s very possible to write a mystery that is both YA appropriate and appealing as well as of a level of quality that equals that of adult books in the genre. Writers like Maureen Johnson and Kathleen Glasnow have served as superior examples of this.
Prior to this novel I had looked at Karen McManus’ books as good for the type of audience that loves a fast-paced plot and a Gossip Girl sort of high school vibe, but this one was so devoid of both engaging suspense and attention-getting characters that even an audience who values those things more highly than I do is going to be bored.
—n o t h i n g m o r e t o t e l l—
Tell me about some of your extracurriculars in high school! I was in the choir and played sports mostly poorly.
—
Let’s be honest, if @writerkmc writes a book, I’m definitely going to read it. So when I saw her newest Nothing More to Tell on @netgalley, i mashed down the request button so fast and i am grateful I did.
—
Nothing More to Tell follows estranged besties (Brynn and Tripp) as they begin to untangle the unsolved murder of their teacher. Brynn has returned to school after a few years away and has also taken up an internship at a true crime podcast covering the story. She is collecting intel from Tripp, her former bestie and a witness of murder, who has plenty of secrets related to his troubled family.
—
McManus excels at creating relatable and lovable characters with interesting dynamics and fast paced plots that keep me guessing. Perfect for summer, her books are quick and engrossing reads. Nothing More to Tell is not an exception. I enjoyed this one a lot. Maybe not my favorite of hers (probably The Cousins) but a fun read.
—
Thank you @netgalley and @delacortepress for the opportunity to read. This one came out on 8/30 so go get it!
—
#bookreview #bookstagram #yathriller #nothingmoretotell #bookstagrammer #bookreviewsneedlovetoo #booksaremagic #littlebooknook📚
This book will keep you guessing right until the very end. It is a fast-paced mystery revolving around an unsolved murder. There is also two perspectives and a lot of red herrings. Digging into the past is never good!
Thanks to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the advanced copy! This was a quick and engaging read for me. I always enjoy McManus’ books and found that Nothing More to Tell kept me guessing until the very end. I’ve leaned into YA books over the last few years and McManus has become one of my auto-buy authors.
Como vocês já sabem, essa resenha é em parceria com a Random House Internacional, de quem recebemos esse ARC (Advance reading copy: algo como “uma cópia de leitura avançada”, ou seja, o livro ainda pode sofrer alterações antes de ser publicado). Também lembrando que essa resenha terá um formato diferente: por ser um ARC, não haverão quotes, já como os livros podem sofrer mudanças em seu texto antes de serem comercializados. Gostaríamos de agradecer profundamente a Editora pela oportunidade de parceria.
Repitam comigo: FA-RO-FA-DA!!! Sim, meus amigos, estamos aqui com mais um livro da dona do mistério em livros YA, Karen McManus, que traz de novo um livro repleto de mistério, adolescentes que fazem o trabalho da policia, falta de poder publico que cuide desses adolescentes, autoridades irresponsáveis e pessoas malucas, tudo em uma misturinha que a gente adora, do jeitinho especial que ela sabe fazer – mas olha, vou dar logo uma impressão minha de cara: é, até aqui, o melhor livro da autora e vou explicar o motivo no decorrer dessa resenha.
Falando mais uma vez, eu gosto de livros de suspense e, de algum tempo para cá, existe uma crescente de livros de suspense dentro do gênero YA, ou seja, são livros de suspense, mas como adolescentes nos papeis principais de investigadores e com tramas menos fortes do que os livros adultos. Karen McManus foi uma das precursoras dessa nova vertente e já li quase todos livros dela, (só falta um: a continuação de seu primeiro e maior sucesso: “Um de nós está mentindo”, que até série ganhou e está renovada para a 2ª temporada – a 1ª temporada completa está na Netflix!) e já estou mais do que acostumada a todos malabarismos que ela faz em seus livros para não envolver adultos, coisa que me diverte e me prende. Já resenhamos quase todos livros dela e vocês podem conferir a tag com o nome da autora para encontrar tudo.
Mas este é o 6º livro da autora e confesso que fui surpreendida pela trama, bem mais sombria (tenha em mente que sombria para níveis de livros YA, hein) e concisa do que todos seus outros livros. Aqui, McManus não tentou dar voltas demais para chegar ao resultado da trama e deu dicas realmente confusas em todo livro a ponto de que, pela primeira vez, eu não tinha matado toda charada do que aconteceu antes do final. Some tudo isso a uma trama de erros, na qual uma compreensão errada resultou em diversas consequências inesperadas e temos a trama boa e sólida de “Nothing More to Tell”.
Acho que parte da solidez dessa trama se deve a protagonista da vez: Brynn é uma adolescente, e, como toda adolescente, tem sua cota de imprudência, mas ela é destemida por si mesma, não porque está precisando ser. Brynn morava em Sturgis e tinha uma bolsa para o colégio Saint Ambrose, onde somente os ricos estudavam – e, claro, os bolsistas como ela e seu melhor amigo, Tripp, mas, um belo dia, Tripp fez Brynn passar uma vergonha imensa na frente de todos de um modo cruel, e a amizade estava terminada. Some isso ao fato do professor favorito de Brynn, o Sr. Larkin, ser encontrado morto uma semana depois e o pai da garota ganhar uma ótima promoção que faria a família toda se mudar para Chicago e temos uma Brynn se afastando dos amigos Mason e Nadia, e toda confusão que ficou na pequena Sturgis.
Mas claro que a trama não iria ficar por ai, porque começamos o livro justamente com Brynn voltando para sua cidade natal com sua família, agora com uma ótima condição financeira e que poderia arcar com as mensalidades do caro colégio para Brynn e sua irmã mais nova, Ellie. O livro tem a diversos flashbacks e todas informações acima que contei são dadas no decorrer da narrativa nesses pontos de vistas de Brynn e Tripp, então espere idas e vindas devidamente assinaladas nos capítulos de cada um deles, que tem essa magoa forte no passado de ambos.
Voltando aos tempos atuais, Brynn está voltando para sua cidade e decidida a salvar sua entrada na faculdade de jornalismo que está ameaçada por uma vingança feita contra ela em seu colégio em Chicago, então a garota está mais do que decidida a encontra um bom estágio em um show de crimes reais, que estão muito em alta em todo mundo. Lá, durante a entrevista, Brynn fala sobre a morte de seu antigo professor favorito e como tudo era misterioso sobre: todos alunos estavam fazendo uma pesquisa de campo quando Tripp basicamente tropeçou no corpo do professor, acompanhado por Shane e Charlotte, dois alunos ricos e populares do colégio. A coisa complica muito quando a arma do crime, uma pedra, tem as digitais de Shane, e o dinheiro roubado para uma viagem da turma é encontrado no armário de Charlotte – mas os dois populares não são considerados suspeitos porque Tripp não era amigo deles, não andavam nem com as mesmas pessoas, então não havia porque Tripp mentir que estava com a dupla o tempo inteiro. Claro que o caso chama atenção de Carly, a apresentadora do show, que contrata Brynn, que já volta para sua escola com a missão de descobrir mais sobre o assassinato, o que significa se aproximar novamente de seu ex-melhor amigo.
Na outra ponta dos protagonistas, temos Tripp, que como todo protagonista da Mcmanus, é sofredor, mas aqui temos um passado repleto de rejeição que pela primeira vez me fez gostar realmente de um protagonista masculino da autora. O trauma e drama que o garoto passa é real e infelizmente muito pouco explorado na literatura YA: nem toda mulher nasceu para ser mãe ou deseja ser. No meio disso tudo, temos o garoto basicamente sozinho com um pai que o ama, mas não sabe ser pai, tendo por única figura responsável a sua empregadora, Regina Young, dona da padaria Brightside.
Ainda destaco a Ellie, a irmã mais nova de Brynn. Com quatorze anos, ela é a responsável por grandes sacadas na trama porque é dona de uma língua feroz e uma inteligência sagaz. E ela também é responsável por nos apresentar o McManusVerso – SIM, isso mesmo: todas as tramas da autora se passam no mesmo universo e Ellie inclusive faz menção aos personagens da trilogia “Um de nós está mentindo” – e depois a própria Brynn faz menção ao caso de “Mortos não contam segredos”. Eu estou feliz demais com o McManusVerso e quero demais que ela escreva um livro aonde todas suas protagonistas se encontram para descobrir quem matou a atual Presidente dos Estados Unidos em uma trama na qual o vice-presidente cometeu o crime para assumir o cargo mais importante de todos e a CIA e o FBI não dão conta do caso, mas as personagens sim. (Me deixa sonhar!)
Ah, em uma última informação, aqui a pré-venda do livro já começou com o titulo de “Nada mais a declarar” (não entendi muito o conceito da capa Nacional, mas quem sou eu na fila do pão?) e você pode adquirir o seu com brindes clicando AQUI.
Em uma trama que é realmente um jogo de jenga, no qual peças vão sendo tiradas e uma pilha de mentiras e desencontros vão caindo, temos também o primeiro livro com final em aberto da autora, então já estou também fazendo campanha para a continuação porque me diverti horrores lendo, e afirmo que se você sente qualquer leve atração por livros de suspense, esse aqui está acima da média. Vem pra farofada comigo!
Thanks for the free book, Penguin Random House International.
Karen McManus is reliable as a YA thriller writer, and this is mostly a really solid story. The ending got a little messy and didn't pull things together as well as I'd have liked. This story did have some gut punching twists and I think McManus writes teens really, really well. It hints at the true crime industry, which is so trendy to include in fiction these days, but it's not the most vital part of the storytelling.
Nothing More to Tell was one of those books that when it really got going for me I did not want to put it down! I found myself really cheering on Brynn, her sister Elle and even Tripp. While my guesses on a few major plot points might have been right, I still enjoyed the ride.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the ARC!
Thank you so much NetGalley for this advanced copy! Karen McManus has done it again!! Nothing More To Tell hooked me from the beginning to end, easily a 5 star book.
For those new to Karen McManus as an author, let me say this - she is one of the queens in the young adult (YA) or high school settings. As a storyteller she is able to allow the audience to feel all of the character's emotions without trivializing the level of writing. There is a reason McManus seems to have a hold on the teen drama/mystery genre. This novel is no exception to that rule.
In Nothing More to Tell, Brynn is a high school senior who is forced to move back to her old school in the second semester, right before graduation. While the move is both familiar and unknown at the same time, Brynn is determined to make a name for herself at her dream internship, working on a true crimes podcast. Wanting to "go undercover" in order to solve the cold case murder of her former teacher; Brynn will have to dig for the true story and secrets of what actually happened 4 years ago.
Thank you to Random House, Delacorte Press and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this novel. Nothing More to Tell is recommended for ages 14 and up.
WHOAH. This book was everything! Nothing More to Tell is the 3rd book that I have read from Karen M. McManus, and I must say, she never disappoints! ❤️
There's something so fascinating about the way Karen writes murder mysteries. I cannot help but obsess over the entire storyline, during and after read the book! The plot of NMTT was really unique ~ especially with the whole "true crime" and "journalism" angles that were shown through Brynn's character. Brynn and Tripp's POVs were really enjoyable ~ and I really liked seeing them work together to solve a 5 year old murder. There's humor, emotional depth and relatable moments all throughout the novel, which made the book a definite page-turner for me. Whenever I thought that I had figured the mystery out, EVERY SINGLE TIME the author changed the plot to a very different & unexpected outcome/scenario! That actually happened A LOT towards the end, and wow, I was just so... intrigued? I had a lot of fun while reading this tbh!
One thing that I love about Karen M. McManus is how she writes about her characters with a lot of depth, instead of just sharing about them on a certain level. That aspect in particular helped me connect with Brynn and Tripp very easily and I cheered for them all throughout the way.
The book had kind of an open-ending. So I am guessing that a sequel might be in the works? Anyway, please go read this book ASAP. You'll be amazed!
This was a great YA mystery! I couldn't stop reading it. This is going to be a very popular books with young adult readers. A popular teacher was murdered at school 4 years ago and Brynn, a senior who is back at the school after her dad had a job transfer back to where she grew up is a budding journalist. She is hired by a true crime show and wants to find out what really happened to her favorite teacher who was murdered. Secrets abound and the closer she gets to the truth the more dangerous it becomes for her.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
You can find a fuller review at Mzinigan Mshiiken here: https://mziniganmshiiken.wordpress.com/?p=240
In short, I LOVED THIS BOOK! I love a good murder mystery on the worst of days, but this one really took the genre for a spin. I don't want to spoil this book at all and you DEFINITELY should read it on your own, but here are a few things I loved:
- dual perspectives! This was used to great effect to lead us to a series of twists that would make a weaver proud.
- casual LGBTQIA+ mentions and no buried gays - the main characters seem to be cis/het, but the inclusion and normalization of queer characters as supports and not just as jokes or tragedies was really refreshing. I'm going to celebrate that wherever I see it, and this book is a great example!
- believable teenagers. What a joy - I was rooting for both of the main characters while marveling in how the author uses current tech/social media trends to great effect.
I'm not going to give more away than this, but it was such a fun read. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early copy for review!
If you know me, you know that if there is a Karen McManus book out there and I don’t have it in my hands, you know I cannot rest. I was very upset that I couldn’t get this at TLA when I went, but the lady at the Random House booth must have seen the look on my face and took pity on me because she gave me this card that had e-ARCs on it. And this just so happened to be one of them. And what can I say, I knew this came out at the end of the month, but as soon as August 1 hit, I started reading it lol
My favorite of hers is still Two Can Keep a Secret, but this one is a strong contender! I don’t know why I liked the plot of this one so much. Maybe because she was an intern that dealt with true crime? Or maybe because this was about a Cold Case? (Y’all know I’m obsessed with those) Whatever the case may be, (no pun intended) I was obsessed with this. And though it didn’t move as fast as her others, I liked the way it felt real. Like she was really trying to solve the case. I don’t know that that makes sense, but it felt like she was really working on it. I know cases aren’t solved in a day. Especially one that police couldn’t even solve. Buttttt this also made it a little repetitive. She would find a clue, write it down, and it would be the same cycle. I know, THRILLER, but usually she has some red herrings or some crazy weird info happen while we’re waiting on the MC to find more info, but not with this one.
I also liked that this one was dual POV. I thought this one was pretty cool to be dual POV because it was a thriller. And I thought at the beginning *spoiler* that since it was Tripp talking he might be the one who killed him, so I was like wide eyed that McManus would go there lol *end spoiler* But I should have known better lol I know for a fact that nothing is as you expect it to be in a Karen McManus novel.
The mystery itself was pretty good. I thought it was interesting how he was this beloved teacher but no one was really looking in to what happened to him. I guess I just thought it would have been more talk about it if the town was so small. However towards the end, I understood why. It was a lot more to it than what I was thinking. Which is how again with this book (just like in all her others) McManus was able to stump me again. I was able to pick the person who did it, but the motive I got 100% wrong lol And I don’t know that I even would have went there at all. (Because she didn’t introduce all the evidence) It was fun to finally get all the answers at the end tho.
So the part that I didn’t like? The ending. It seemed like everything was tacked on the end. Like the beginning is so slow moving, but then it suddenly switches gears and it’s like 0-60. And although I like when the plot gets ramped up, I don’t like it when it’s suddenly added to the end. I would have preferred it be spread out some throughout the end. But the trouble with that, it was already 368 pages. So it felt like “Oh this is getting too long, let me end it.” And I wasn’t completely satisfied with it either. Like when it was revealed who it was, they never even admitted to it. I would have liked some super distinct closure. Like did they get caught? What happened to them? I wanted something more concrete. (I realize this could be a me thing, but I absolutely HATE books with open endings lol)
The other characters in the book were absolutely abysmal lol I didn’t like any of them besides Tripp and Brynn. And let me tell you, I barely liked them two. But everyone in this book acted like they were scared of their own shadow and yet that didn’t stop them from lying about literally everything lol I don’t know everyone was weird and a liar. That’s the best way to describe them.
Again, this wasn’t my favorite of hers, but with so many of my favorite elements, it’s a strong contender. Really everything by McManus is a strong contender. All her stuff is good. So if you’re on the fence, jump down and try it! I promise you won’t regret it!