I expect a fast-paced mystery that won't take a whole lot of brain power when I pick up a McManus, which is to say that my expectations aren't too high going in. Despite that, I didn't find this as enjoyable as most of her previous works. Some of it was the bouncing around between characters, but I also didn't find any of them fleshed out enough to make me especially interested. And although I'm happy that Kat and Liam found each other, because they both needed family, it's hard to believe they are as bonded as they are from their very brief time together. There are a lot of characters and familial relations to keep straight both among the Sutherlands and in Gem's group which held me a little out of the story as I worked on remembering who was who and what I was already supposed to know about them. Overall, it just didn't work as well as her previous titles for me.

It took me some time to really get into this book. It could be because it started off slow or because it was a busy week. It doesn’t matter. Once my interest was piqued I couldn’t put this book down. Has it really been nearly two years since I’ve read a Karen McManus book?? This was a nice reminder of how much I enjoy her work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I couldn't put this book down!!

If Gilmore Girls and Ocean's 8 had a baby it would be this book. I am seriously obsessed!! Such Charming Liars has everything you could ever want in a ya thriller: unexpected romance, about a million plot twists, and enough suspense to keep me hooked while allowing me to still sleep at night.

Karen m McManus never misses and SCL is no exception. A must read

Every year I look forward to a new Karen McManus book. This was completely twisty and watching the characters try to figure out who they could trust gave me whiplash. This is a top tier YA mystery.

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again I love young adult thrillers so much more than adult thrillers sometimes because of how fast paste they are the twist and terms are suspenseful and even if it is a little predictable, I still thoroughly enjoy it

In her latest young adult mystery, McManus gives us the inherently charming and likable step-siblings Kat and Liam, and while they have only ever spent one day in each other’s company, here they have a life-changing reunion. Their respective parents are both con artists, of sorts, and Kat and Liam get caught up in the latest, and deadliest bad deed. Classic elements of the mystery genre, like murder, jewel theft and red-herrings feel fresh and modern here. Such Charming Liars is well-paced and the character arcs all seem realistic without being predictable.

As a devoted fan of McManus’ writing, I had high expectations for this book. While it won’t be at the top of my list of favorites, it was a strong and entertaining read. In a McManus book, the reader needs to pay close attention to the details and dialogue in order to have any hope of predicting the big reveal at the end. This book is no different! Congratulations to Karen McManus on another sharp, entertaining thriller!

Thank you to Net Galley, Penguin Random House Publishers, and the author Karen McManus for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story is narrated by Kat, a 16 year old girl, and her step brother, Liam. Kat’s mom, Jamie, is a career thief who wants to leave the business after one last job. She is tasked with stealing a ruby necklace and replacing it with a fake. She manages to get herself a serving job at billionaire, Ross Sutherland’s birthday party. Her plan is to sneak out during the party, swap necklaces inside Ross’s daughter’s house, and then disappear. When Jamie becomes violently ill, Kat decides she can pull off the job.

Liam, a likable character, is all about trying to protect the women his father tries to con. His father, Luke’s latest con is to marry Ross’s wealthy daughter, Annalise Sutherland.

When a family member is killed at the birthday party, Liam and Kat find themselves in danger.

In true Karen McManus style, this thriller with its big cast of characters will keep you guessing until the end.

Unfortunately had to DNF. Didn’t really capture my attention at the beginning. Plot started off kind of boring and slow.

Kat's life has been a rollercoaster, defined by an abusive father and her mother's later brief marriage and subsequent divorce, leaving Kat and her stepbrother Liam estranged. The backdrop of their reunion is a high-stakes jewel heist at a billionaire's birthday party, which Kat's mother, Jamie, has decided will be her last job before going straight.
As Kat arrives at the Sutherland compound, she is blindsided by the presence of Liam and his con artist father, who is scheming to exploit the Sutherland family.

The plot takes a darker turn when a member of the Sutherland family is murdered, and Kat finds herself the prime target in a deadly game. McManus brilliantly escalates the stakes, blending mystery and psychological thriller elements seamlessly. Trust becomes a rare commodity as Kat and Liam grapple with the realization that their survival depends on their ability to outsmart a cunning killer. With expertly crafted twists and a relentless pace, "Such Charming Liars" showcases McManus's talent for creating addictive, high-stakes drama where nothing is as it seems and everyone has something to hide.

Thank you Karen McManus, Random House Children's, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

5 stars

I love Karen McManus books so much! Her mystery’s are always intriguing and well crafted. I love the friendships she creates between characters as well. This book had all of these aspects, which is why I loved it so much! This is a perfect summer mystery!

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book!

Such a Charming Book! I sped through this wonderful thriller. No one does YA thrillers better than Karen McManus and this newest is her best yet! I cannot wait to get my hands on a print copy! You will keep turning the pages late into the night and be unable to put it down until the thrilling conclusion. Highly recommended!

Karen McManus almost never fails to amaze me. The way she can tell a story will and always will be captivating to me. I was scared going into this knowing I’d be different than all her other works (I’ve read them all!) but this book is written just as well as her other books. Thoughtful, well rounded characters and a plot that’s interesting. I will always be on the lookout for new books from her!!

I was impressed by this book. It's not often a book without romantic interest can captivate me in the way that this did it was well-written and witty. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I don't know if it's because I accidentally took a big break while reading this book, or if it's because McManus is setting it up for a sequel, but it wasn't my favorite.

Kat is the daughter of a con artist attempting to go straight. They have one last job at a wealthy man's commune to swap outa necklace during a party. Except her ex stepfather and stepbrother are there, as the supposed dates of someone in the family. Except the ex stepdad is a con artist. And someone ends up dead.

There were a lot of twists and turns, which make it entertaining, but also hard for me to follow and keep straight who was "good" and who was "bad." Again, could be because I didn't read it all in one day like one should with Karen McManus.

Thanks, NG!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

This book was a lot of fun. It took a few chapters to get into it but once you get to the plot, it’s such a fast pace read.

I thought the storyline was great. I really loved the theme and the plot twist through out the book. I thought the characters were well thought out but I would have liked a little bit more background information on them. I honestly wasn’t surprised that I like this book so much because this author is one of my favorites.

The way she writes her books is captivating. She really knows how to appeal to her reading audience.

I kind of hope with how it ended that there will be a book two but who knows!

4 stars!

Another solid summer mystery from Karen M McManus. I was excited to hear she was coming out with heist book and Such Charming Liars didn't disappoint! I expect this one will be a hit with my mystery-loving teens.

If there is one thing I adore as a high school teacher, it's a Karen McManus new release. I absolutely adored these con artists! I cannot wait to use this one for a First Chapter Friday!

3.5 stars. Karen M. McManus is my go-to for twisty, turny YA mysteries/thrillers. I liked the premise but felt like it didn’t quite live up to the jewel heist promise. It got a little messy with all of the adult characters thrown in. I really enjoyed the 3 leads - Kat, Liam, and Augustus - and I liked the queer representation too. All in all, an enjoyable book that I will definitely add to my classroom library and recommend to my students. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my review,

Oh my goodness.

What do you get when you mix a jewelry thief and a con-artist then sprinkle in their kids? This book.
I loved the dynamic between the young adults in this book and the inclusivity the 2 outcasts find in an unexpected friend. Their parents on the other hand… how they have existed so long without landing in jail themselves I do not know.

Kats mom, Jamie is trying to get out of the game. She’s been a jewel thief since her divorce from an epic 48 hour marriage to Liam’s father. Jamie’s plan to switch out a replica with a very expensive pieces goes awry when she falls sick and Kat takes her mother’s place as the help. Liam on the other hand is a guest at the compound with his father. Yes. Coincidentally, the same compound, and the same party that Kat is working.

Kat tries to keep her cool as her plan b turns to plan e. But her life becomes endangered when a family member at the party is murdered and she was witness to it. She must hide her mom, find the jewelry, get away from the murderer all while not getting caught. Can she risk asking her former stepbrother for help?

This was a wild ride. As captivating as all of Karen McManus’s books. It’s definitely worth the read!

Thank you for the ARC @writerkmc , @netgalley & @delacortepress ! I’m so excited for others to read this!