Such Charming Liars is a thrilling rollercoaster of suspense, family drama, and unexpected twists that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The story follows Kat, who finds herself entangled in her mother Jamie's last heist at a billionaire's birthday party, leading to a reunion with her estranged stepbrother, Liam. The dynamics between Kat and Liam are intense, filled with unresolved tension from their past, and the complex relationships between the characters add layers to the narrative. I loved that it was told from both Kat & Liam's POVs.

Once again, McManus skillfully weaves together themes of family loyalty, betrayal, and the consequences of a life of crime. The tension builds steadily throughout the story, creating a sense of danger that kept me guessing.

What sets this book apart is the unexpected twist at the end. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, the story took a sharp turn that left me shocked. It not only added a new layer of complexity to the plot but also tied up loose ends in a way that was both satisfying and surprising.

Kat and Liam's evolving relationship is a highlight, and the chemistry between them adds an emotional depth to the story. The dialogue is sharp and witty, reflecting the characters' personalities and enhancing the overall reading experience.

While the ending sort of brought closure to the main plot, it left room for a possible sequel, it also left me with lingering questions and wanting to know more about Kat, Liam and even Augustus' futures. If you enjoyed McManus's other standalone books, like Cousins, you will enjoy this story. I cannot wait to interview her at NTTBF and ask her about the idea for this book!

I have read most of Karen McManus' YA novels and always purchase copies for my school library, so I was excited to see this one pop up on NetGalley. Overall, I think I will have some students who enjoy it, but reading it will require more stamina than One of Us Is Lying. The characters are well-developed, but this does add extra layers of complexity to the plot that many reluctant YA readers won't enjoy. My students who are regular readers, however, will appreciate the character depth and the plot twists that keep you engaged in trying to follow the story. I would also like to see a sequel to this novel with Augustus' POV because he is intriguing, and you feel like you only scratch the surface in this story.

What an exciting adventure to follow in this story of our main character and her mother. I enjoyed how this is a split perspective of another character as well and there is an intertwining of their stories along the way. Eventful and students will love this as an independent read!

I love this author and all her books (that I’ve read because I’m currently binge reading her books) I was so excited to get the opportunity to read this book and while I am the type of reader that is along for the ride, this is one of my favorite rides I’ve ever been on.

This author has never disappointed me! I really enjoyed this new thriller/mystery and, although it’s geared toward a YA audience, I believe readers of any age would enjoy it. The loved the dual point of view and the plot twists made the book a real page-turner and keep me guessing. The ending was unpredictable, which I loved! I’ll be happy to recommend this book near publication day. Thanks for the opportunity to read!

Karen McManus does it again. Every time I think these standalones can't get better but they DO! I'm astounded and amazed at her ability to write mysteries that involve such intrigue. The characters and their relationships were so well developed, and the dual point of view made for perfect suspense building. I absolutely loved this book and everyone else should as well.

A heist becomes deadly in this YA thriller by the queen herself!
💎
Kat has only ever had her mother, Jamie, to rely on. Jamie works for Gem, a woman who makes a living off creating replicas of jewelry and using them to steal. When Jamie decides she wants out of the business, Gem tells her she has to complete one final job: Ross Sutherland’s party at his estate. It’s there Kat reconnects with her former stepbrother and makes a new friend as well. Kat has to stand in for mom when she ends up bed ridden with an illness, and though she tries, Kat is not her mom. One mess after another has Kat running scared, but can she survive this weekend alive?
💎
If you loved The Cousins by McManus then you’ll fall in love with this YA thriller too. McManus always has a trick or two up her sleeve and just when I thought this story was wrapped up, she dropped a bomb. This novel releases August 1.

CW: death, murder, gun violence, physical violence, domestic abuse (recounted), vomit, blood, incarceration, attempted suicide, catfishing

The twist at the end bumped this from a 3 to a 3.75. Not my favorite by her.

I'm a big Karen M. McManus fan (her new books are always an auto-read) for me, and I really enjoyed this new novel from her. It was a bit of a departure from her previous novels, focusing on a mother-daughter pair of grifters/jewel thieft, but still the normal formula of some teens solving a mystery and some toxic family dynamics. It wasn't my absolute favorite from the author, but still a solid YA thriller!

Phew! What a twisty caper that was! Kat's mom Jamie is a thief and needs to pull off a final heist to leave the life behind. But someone from her past shows up, and Jamie falls mysteriously ill. Kat needs to take her place on the job. Will she pull it off? There are just so many twists and nail-biting turns, right up until the last page. My students are going to DEVOUR this!

Karen M McManus has found a niche when it comes to YA Mystery/Thrillers.

Kat's mom is a thief who wants to get out of the business, but not before one final heist. Go figure that on the way there, they bump into Kat's former step-brother and stepfather (thanks to a quickie Vegas marriage that lasted only a few short days).

While trying to traverse the weird family reunion, Kat also has to sneak around undetected by the host family--which proves easier said than done considering the chaos ensuing. Death. Theft. Deceit. No one and nothing is safe!

This is clearly a YA book, which is totally fine. It's not hard hitting and it's a pretty easy-to-spot story line, but I think teens will definitely enjoy the slightly darker mystery that doesn't push boundaries too harshly.

Characters are very enjoyable and well built with backstories and depth. Also nice to see a clean wrap up that won't be haunting for younger readers.

Overall: 4 stars (I really liked it)

I'll tell my students about: language, alcohol, drugs, poison, violence/gore/death, physical abuse (past tense), trauma/mental health, LGBTQ+,

**Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for the free ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

Great book! There were so many different twists and turns that keep readers interested in the story. I personally love the dual perspectives and think it adds to suspense with two different people telling their sides of the story.

I enjoyed the suspense of this book. Kat was a fascinating main character and I did not quite know what to think about Jamie. But by far my favorite characters was Liam. This was a quick read and although not my favorite of her books I still enjoyed it.

Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus is a riveting thriller that follows Kat and her mother Jamie, a pair of grifters embarking on one last heist. When unexpected guests, including Kat's estranged stepbrother Liam, disrupt their plans, tensions rise, and secrets unravel. McManus expertly weaves together intricate twists and turns, alternating between characters' perspectives to reveal their motivations and vulnerabilities. Against the backdrop of a clandestine world of deception and danger, the novel explores themes of family, loyalty, and redemption. With its compelling characters, relentless suspense, and unexpected revelations, Such Charming Liars is a captivating read that keeps readers guessing until the final page.

Karen McManus is one of my favorite authors, and this novel is an example of why. Great characters, strong plot and you never really know the ending until after the fact, but then it all makes sense.

A new twisty story from Karen McManus. Love the way she tells a story and weaves clues throughout the story, While "Such Charming Liars" is not my favorite McManus mystery, it still kept my attention and kept me guessing.

Thoroughly enjoyable twisty caper with fun characters, danger, and a touch of romance. Jewelry thieves, murder, and deception are just the tip of the iceberg.

Her best book since The Cousins! I LOVED this one. The heist was a fun plot. I liked the dual pov too.

As always with this author's books, she didn't disappoint. It was a quick, fun read with funny characters and situations that make you laugh out loud and keep you intrigued throughout to finish the book in a day.

This was another fun mystery/thriller from Karen McManus! I really liked the closed setting in this one, as well as the jewelry heist aspect.

This was such an entertaining read and everything I've come to really enjoy about McManus's writing, characters, and stories. And while, like usual, some of this was easy to guess, a lot of it wasn't and kept me on my toes, but more importantly, it kept me turning the pages with a smile on my face. This was such a joy to read.