Such Charming Liars delivers the twists, secrets, and family drama that fans of Karen M. McManus have come to expect. The writing is fast-paced and easy to get into, with plenty of suspenseful moments and an engaging setup that keeps you turning pages to uncover the truth. The atmosphere is tense, and the blend of lies, betrayal, and shifting loyalties creates some compelling drama.

That said, the plot leans on familiar tropes, and some of the twists feel more predictable than shocking. A few characters lack depth, which makes it harder to feel fully invested in their outcomes. While entertaining, it doesn’t quite reach the same level of sharpness or originality as some of McManus’s earlier work.

Overall, Such Charming Liars is a solid, entertaining YA thriller—good for a quick, suspenseful read—but not one that will linger long after the final page.

I rewally enjoyed the charaters in this book and the grifter/heist vibes were absolutely IMMACULATE! Another winner from Karen M. McManus!

This is the story about Kat and her mother Jamie. They are taken under the wing of a jewel thief. But Jamie decides that she has had enough of this life of crime and will do one last job. She ends up coming face to face with her ex husband and his son.

This book was entertaining and full of thrill. I liked the dynamics of Kat and Jamie's relationship. Also I adored Kat and Liam's relationship/friendship. Overall, a good book. Would recommend!

What a wild ride this was! I was so excited once I read the premise, and Karen M. McManus is one of my favorite thriller authors, so I was so excited to receive an ARC of this one. What was really the highlight of this story for me was the characters, and getting to see our main trio interact was so much fun. Unfortunately, I didn't love this one as much as I was hoping to, but I'm still so excited to see what she writes in the future!

This was a good little mystery. Forgot it was YA while I was reading it which is why it felt juvenile at times. Overall, it was a like not a love. I’ve enjoyed other books by this author more than I did this one.

I’m a Karen McManus completist so of course I had to read this one. This one was a bit different from the usual setup and I didn’t know what to expect - there were some surprising twists and it just kept me guessing, fast-paced as usual but at a pace that still allowed you to care for what happens to these characters! I love the dynamic between the main trio so much, and I like that it’s something unexpected. I always love a mystery mixed with glamour!

I’m a little bit sad we don’t get a book from the author this year, but I will be patiently waiting for when her next book is here.


Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!

Karen McManus never misses!

I really enjoyed this new one by her, as the other ones were more "high school" focused. Not that that is a bad thing, but I loved the take on this book.
It was surprisingly suspenseful, and I liked learning about all of the different characters.

3.75 shiny necklaces out of 5

Karen McManus is an auto-buy author for me, and this one did not disappoint. She spins the perfect mysteries while also letting you get attached to the characters. If you are already a fan of hers, you will love this! If not, you will be after this!

Karen M. McManus writes such interesting books. Such Charming Liars was a quick read because I rarely put it down all the way through.

The book was good and kept my interest until the end. I did like some of the characters, but the “crushes” was lackluster. Wish we saw and learned more about the family.

This was a slower read for me since it was a little different then the other novels I've read of hers. I like the mystery but I didn't really like the grifter aspect of this with it being a mother/daughter heist. There were some twists I didn't see coming and while this wasn't one of my favorites it was a fun fast read.

Thanks to Delacorte Press and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I’ve tried this one several times because I usually love this author but I just didn’t connect to these characters or the plot. Still likely a good pick for YA!

3/5 This ended up being a DNF for me despite how much I love Karen M. McManus. Perhaps it was the characters or the plot but I scrapped by into 20% territory before I finally gave up. It's not as gripping as per previous books and the characters in this one just don't resonate the way her other books have.

I'll definitely be checking out Karen M. McManus' next read but perhaps a story of Con-Families just isn't the right genre for me. Excited still to see what comes next!

super weak in my opinion. i think the author is grasping at straws of what she can do in a book. they all read the same, i thought this one had a little bit of a different edge but ultimately went the same way it usually does

As someone who has devoured every book Karen M. McManus has written, I was so excited for Such a Charming Liar. Her storytelling always pulls me in, and she’s one of my go-to authors when I’m in a slump—instant pick-me-up, every time.

That said, while the writing style and pacing were classic McManus (fast, addictive, and easy to fly through), this one didn’t quite hit the same high notes for me as some of her others. The mystery was intriguing, and I loved the setup, but I didn’t feel as connected to the characters this time around. There were a few twists I saw coming, and others that felt a bit out of left field—not in the jaw-dropping way I’ve come to expect, but more like, “Wait, what?”

Still, I admire how McManus always keeps things fresh, and even when a book doesn’t become a favorite, it’s still a fun ride. This one just didn’t stick with me the way One of Us Is Lying or The Cousins did.

Will I be picking up her next book? Absolutely. She’s an auto-buy author for a reason, and I’m always ready to see what twisty road she’ll take us down next.

I will always pick up a Karen McManus book, so I was glad to have the opportunity to read this one before it was published through NetGalley. There are lots of mysteries in YA, but having a heist book is a little more difficult to find. The beginning of the story really sets you up for a wild ride and I think the rest of the book delivered. I will definitely keep my eyes peeled for the next Karen McManus title!

YA mystery queen Karen M. McManus delivers another gripping thriller that grabs you from the first chapter and refuses to let go. This standalone is a departure from her One of Us is Lying series, and arguably her strongest standalone yet. With a clever, fast-paced plot full of twists, cons, and layered secrets, Nothing More to Tell is a masterclass in building suspense. From professional grifters to family betrayals, it’s an absolutely wild ride that keeps you guessing until the final reveal—and what a reveal it is.

The story is narrated by two step-siblings: Kat, a 16-year-old raised by a professional thief, and Liam, the sweet, naive, yet well-meaning son of a notorious conman. When Kat’s mother, Jamie, agrees to one last job before going straight—stealing a priceless necklace at billionaire Ross Sutherland’s birthday party—things spiral quickly out of control. Jamie’s health takes an unexpected turn, and Kat finds herself running point on a high-stakes heist while posing as a guest. Meanwhile, Liam is dragged along by his father Luke, who is now dating one of the Sutherland daughters, placing both teens in the eye of the storm.

As the plan unravels and secrets bubble to the surface, Kat and Liam are drawn deeper into a tangled web of lies, manipulation, and murder. Kat, who considers herself a master manipulator, soon realizes she's not the one pulling the strings—she's just another piece on the board. And when someone in the family ends up dead, everything changes.

The mystery is well-structured and genuinely unpredictable, with pitch-perfect pacing and high emotional stakes. McManus is at her best here, balancing intricate plotting with sharp dialogue and plenty of tension. The dynamic between Kat and Liam is one of the highlights—reluctant allies caught in a storm of deception and personal trauma.

Still, the book isn't without its flaws. The biggest issue lies in Kat's early decisions, which often feel implausible, even for a teenager raised in the world of cons. Her reckless choices made me want to shake her at times, and it took nearly two-thirds of the book for her to become a character I could fully root for. Liam, on the other hand, is immediately endearing—kind-hearted, a little lost, and doing his best in an impossible situation. I found myself wishing he had more of the spotlight.

The Sutherland family, unfortunately, lacked dimension. Most of them are unlikable to the point of caricature, and the one standout—Luke, Liam’s manipulative father—is memorable for all the wrong reasons. That said, imagining Ross Sutherland as Donald Sutherland helped bring the whole ensemble to life in my mind, and honestly, this book feels ripe for a screen adaptation. The structure, stakes, and pacing would translate beautifully to a limited series, and Donald Sutherland would be perfect in that patriarchal role.

Ultimately, Nothing More to Tell is a smart, twisty mystery with just enough heart to ground the chaos. It’s not flawless, but it’s undeniably entertaining, and McManus continues to prove she’s one of the best in YA thrillers. Just don’t expect to sleep until you’ve turned the final page.

This a book that I got for my classroom library. Yet another popular YA novel for Karen Mc.Manus the queen of YA mystery. I enjoyed the mother & daughter dynamic in this novel and my students really got into it

This is a mystery, but it lacked “thrill” in the heist. The main FMC felt naive for someone who has been in the business of burglary for years. Leaving the door unlocked, losing the ring, joining a job without permission, etc. Also, her relationship with Liam was too emotionally heavy for such a disconnected FMC. Not my favorite of McManus books, but I did appreciate that it’s a standalone read.

I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Karen McManus is my thriller queen I will ready any book she release and this one was one to add to my shelf because how can I not! This book like all her others was filled with suspense and kept me on the edge of my seat!