I enjoyed the mixed media but unfortunately by Chapter 15 the twist was pretty clear and confirmed by Chapter 23. Maybe, I wouldn’t have figured it out if “looking for Easter Eggs” was brought to my attention by the authors at the beginning of the book.

I did enjoy the use of mixed media and a behind the scenes perspective of social media paparazzi workings. And the dangers of falling down the social media rabbit hole

Rumoured was an extremely unhinged story about a journalist, her family demons, and the pop star Harlow Hayes who is suspected of murder. I found the main character Naomi to be very difficult to root for based on her decision making throughout the story, but I also felt incredibly bad for her at how her life intertwined with the investigation into the Harlow Hayes case. At some points, it was very hard to follow Naomi's train of thought and her reasons behind some of her choices, but I think that was what the authors were trying to do in order to keep the plot twist a surprise. Speaking of the plot twist, I found it all to be just a bit too coincidental, especially considering the fact that Naomi is in fact a journalist, yet somehow didn't look into anything having to do with the other crime that occurred in her life. Overall, I had a fun time reading this book, but I found it to be a little too jumbled for me to really enjoy the mystery of it all since the lead character stressed me out so much.

I'd say this is a good popcorn style thriller, several twists and turns, bits were a little far fetched, but that's what I love about books!
If you enjoy a murder mystery and pop star scandal, then this would be a good one for you.

I loved how this book was fast paced with the media excerpts, different viewpoints, and social media commentary. I never felt like the story dragged. It was unpredictable and a fun time from beginning to end.

I did not like this book whatsoever. Maybe there's an audience for it, but it's definitely not me. I HATED the main character Naomi and I thought she was a psychopath throughout the entire book. I figured out the "twist" soooooo early on (like 15%, if not sooner) and the journey to get to the ending felt like it took forever. Needless to say, I will not be recommending this to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA!

3.75 stars
If you are a fan of murder, celebrity scandal, easter eggs, and the Beatles this book is for you.

Naomi Barnes is a writer for C*leb News and is assigned to cover the the pop-start Harlow Hayes who is being accursed of murder for not one but two people. Naomi travels back to New York where ghosts of her sisters death still haunts her to be on the front lines to get the headlines to blow the story out of the water. Through her channel of sources and investigations Naomi starts to unravel and go down rabbit holes that have her second guessing everything she thought she knew about the case and lives of the celebrities that the world upholds.

Read if you like:
Murder mystery
Thriller
Celebrity scandals
Taylor Swift
Easter eggs hints

Personal Thoughts:
-Would recommend Kindle or physical book if interested, I think audio would be difficult to follow given the pages that feature articles and social media posts.
-Leo being named "Leo" felt very on the nose, LEO as an abbreviation means Law Enforcement Officer on social media
-In the authors note at the start when it mentions they threw some Easter eggs into the story it kind of took me out of the experience because I was more hyper aware of anything that felt off
-I almost had to stop reading after the text messages were discussed regarding Colton because it was disturbing and had no idea that was about to be said.

Thank you Net Galley and Bloomsbury USA for the advanced review copy in exchange for my honest review.

hard to read this on netgalley reader, so i'm going to be coming back when there's a send to kindle option so i can properly read and review this!

This book had such a compelling premise—music, sisters, murder… it definitely sounded like my kind of story, and I was eager to dive in. Unfortunately, I never found myself fully connecting with it the way I had hoped. Despite the intriguing setup, it just didn’t pull me in, and I ultimately decided to set it aside as a DNF.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to read and appreciate being approved, even if this one wasn’t the right fit for me.

Rumored is a twisty, fast-paced thrillers written by sisters Kelly and Kristina Mancaruso. The authors did a great job balancing character depth with plot momentum, and the sibling collaboration shines through in the storytelling. If you enjoy suspense with layered relationships and a few surprises along the way, this one is worth picking up. Pop stars, secrets & murder...oh my!

Anyone enamored with the industry should have a peek at Rumored. You will see it in a whole new light! It definitely has a certain audience so this may not be up everyone's alley but it is very entertaining nonetheless.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Such a fun and interesting read! I love all things true crime and thriller but this book was just so fun and non- serious in a perfect, fall way! Highly recommend!

Naomi Barnes is a reporter for C*Leb news and when one of America's biggest pop stars is arrested for murder, she ends up back in New York City. Having relocated to LA after the death of her sister, years previous, Naomi returns and struggles to balance investigating for her articles and handling her grief.

This book started a little slow for me, but once Naomi really started getting into things and really seeming to find good information, I started to enjoy it. Losing control so quickly when she first began including her sister in the investigation and writing impulsive article came off as kind of out of character for Naomi. Luckily she kind of redeemed herself a little later.
While I figured out the main twist early on, I did enjoy the way the authors excuted it by using the Paul McCartney theory. That being said, a lot of the ways the authors used the Easter eggs fell flat for me, almost like they were an afterthought or just done lazily, so they were just "copied" from the McCartney stuff. I also felt like when it came to the Easter eggs in lyrics, the hints were so incredibly obvious that they almost bordered on silly.
Once Naomi began to untangle everything, I devoured this book quickly and enjoyed it overall, but for me many of the twists ended with unsatisfying results. The very end of the book kind of ruined everything else for me, when Naomi just accepts what happened with "Harlow" and her sister, after all the trouble she dealt with and even caused herself.

This was fun little read. A lottttt of pop culture nods. Love that 2 sisters wrote this. If you’re a Swiftie, you’ll love this.

Calling all music lovers! Harlow, popular singer, has been arrested for not 1 but 2 murders, one of them being Colton, a famous, much loved actor who also happens to be her ex. Naomi, a reporter for an entertainment news magazine/site, sets out to discover what happened to Colton. Could his murder be related to her sister’s death? As Naomi questions everything she knew to be true, she eventually figures out what happened, after some big twists and turns. Cleverly written with anagrams throughout (had to go back to figure them out as I was engrossed in the story) this was a fun read written through the perspective of 2 characters. Written not only in prose, but as tweets and online news, this story was one I had a hard time putting down. For a debut novel, this one is fun and well written!

Rumoured had a hooky premise and definitely kept the pages turning, but I ended up feeling more frustrated than thrilled.

Naomi’s perspective as a journalist with personal baggage was one of the stronger aspects of the story. It made sense that she would chase the story all the way down the rabbit hole, even when it blurred ethical lines. But that believability faltered once the story shifted into her willingness to excuse, even forgive, literal murder. After years of grief and devastation, I couldn’t quite buy into her complicity. It felt less like an earned emotional breaking point and more like a convenient way to force the ending into place.

The mystery itself was pretty easy to untangle, and the narrative often felt thin despite its glossy setup. The climactic “murder night” was built up as the pivotal reveal but landed with a thud. It's over so quick it's a blink and you'd miss it kinda thing. Threads like the drug-stuffed corpses never really paid off, and this shock factor never evolved beyond that to add depth (ok, maybe some menace once we figure things out). Character motivations often read as underdeveloped or stereotypical. Even the subplot with the cop, whose career Naomi nearly torpedoed, resolving the way it did felt more like convenience than character development.

I did enjoy the take on the celebrity body-double trope and the Easter eggs hidden in the narrative. That said, most of the “reveals” felt surface-level and borrowed rather than fresh. And, personal gripe: I wish more authors resisted the urge to drop in original song lyrics because they almost never add as much as they hope. They rarely land the way they’re intended, and here they felt more distracting than immersive.

In the end, Rumoured has a few clever touches, but it leans too heavily on suspension of disbelief and doesn’t fully cash in on its most dramatic promises.

This book blew me away. From the pop star conspiracy theories and easter eggs, to the cover-ups and drama that can happen as someone rises to fame, it was all so fun to read about! These are all rabbit holes I have found myself down and then to really dissect them even further was so much fun.

She's a pop star, she's an icon, but is she a murderer?? What else could lie ahead?

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

I love a good conspiracy, especially when celebrities are involved. When a mega star is arrested & a grieving paparazzi cross paths an excellent story unfolds. Definitely written for fans of celebrity gossip, til tok theories, & global conspirators. A fun read and an usual thriller that works!

The concept sounded great…a pop star accused of murder. Harlow Hayes is an international pop singer accused of murder. Naomi is the journalist who investigates the story. As she investigates, she starts to believe that Harlow is connected with her sister Faye’s disappearance who happened to be an up & coming musician. Lots of conspiracy theories, mixed media throughout the book which may work for some. I think this book will find its YA audience but too many twists, conspiracies that were completely unbelievable for me. Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5! If you enjoy the music industry, conspiracy theories, Easter eggs, and a good murder mystery, you’ll definitely have fun with this one!

It did take me a while to settle into the story, the beginning felt a bit slow, and I wasn’t entirely sure where the plot was heading. That said, once things started moving, I found myself intrigued by the twists, and the ending was anything but predictable.

Overall, this was an entertaining debut with a unique format and lots of clever details woven in. While it wasn’t a perfect read for me, I appreciated the fresh take on a murder mystery set against the backdrop of fame, media, and public perception

Calling all Swifties and Pop Culture lovers in general...This is YOUR book!

Naomi Barnes is a journalist for a popular celebrity magazine and the biggest news has just come across her desk. The super A list pop star singer, Harlow Hayes, has just been arrested for murder. Her boss sends her back to New York, where her own ghosts live, to cover everything that has to do with this case. The more she digs, the less she wants to know. You know what they say, never meet your idols.

This book was so fun, but also so shocking. I thought I had it figured out early on, but I just couldn't put all the pieces together so watching it unfold was awesome. There were so many twists and turns but you also get a full picture of Naomi and her past.

What I loved about this book:
-many, many pop culture references
-the easter eggs left for Harlow's fans and for the readers of the book
-real life scandals brought into the plot
-the perseverance of Naomi as a reporter to GET TO THE TRUTH
-a cute love story
-great writing
-no open ended stories

Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA for the ARC

Expected Publication Date: October 7th, 2025

From page one, this had my attention. The story flow and details kept me hooked. I also live around Kansas City and was reading this during the Travis and Taylor engagement announcement, so I'm sure that also helped fuel my enthusiasm to keep reading about this insanely popular popstar.

I did end up figuring out the twist, but thankfully, that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. Overall, it is a well-written, attention-grabbing book.