Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of Rumored, set to publish on Oct 7, 2025.

Fast paced with loads of twists and turns. Includes social media posts and TMZ-type articles with reader comments to give additional commentary. Very much written for a younger audience with many pop culture references.
This novel isn't my style but it's well written and engaging!

Though very YA feel, and the formatting wasn't exactly in my taste, it was FUN! Fast paced for sure! Summer binge read in one sitting! Thanks, NetGalley!

Thank you to #CampNetGalley for this thriller! I thoroughly enjoyed this story! The Mancaruso Sisters had me hooked from the very first page! The brilliance with which they embedded the Harlow Hayes Easter eggs throughout the novel and how they’ve covered the conspiracy theories so thoroughly held my attention until the very last page. I have often thought about the “What ifs” and whether there’s truth to the conspiracies of hidden messages in songs, albums, and cover art. This is a theme I’ve not come across before in books I’ve read and was excited for something new. It also gave an interesting insight into investigative journalism with Naomi’s character and I appreciated how the perspective can shift or become jaded when the focus moves closer to home. 4 stars!

Definitely a GREAT read! Didn't see that twist coming at all!! Will look for other books from these authors! Highly recommend!!

Rumoured was so much more than I was expecting it to be! Far from being a flippant conspiracy story, this book is replete with Easter eggs, a multi-layered mystery, and a no-stones-left-unturned approach. It is a slow-burn mystery/thriller set in a pop star's world, and it's worth the twist at the end!

If you enjoy big Hollywood music culture, Taylor Swift vibes, and other performer-based reads, this book will give you everything you want and more. The authors spared no effort on the details, and they are exceedingly skilled at tucking clues inside of clues. Any reader who enjoys letting their inner armchair detective out will absolutely love this narrative! We explore most of the story through the lens of a journalist, who is determined to figure out whether a major celebrity musician, Harlow Hayes, is guilty of the murders she has been accused of. Along the way, she grieves the death of her sister, who died in a horrific accident. A good chunk of the book is also told through the lens of gossip columns, news reports, Reddit-style opinion snippets, and other media releases. This read was extremely immersive, and it will keep readers on the edge of their seats! It's easy to feel like this is a real-life mystery because of the direct way readers can interface with the public's opinion(s) on the Harlow Hayes accusations. The book is a little long, but the authors clearly wanted to be thorough and give readers the chance to uncover all the secrets themselves.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers at Bloomsbury for letting me read the ARC of this upcoming release! Anyone who likes experiencing the "backstage" viewpoint of celebrity life will find this book to be incredibly enjoyable.

Thank you @netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Short synopsis: a writer for a popular gossip magazine tries to solve a murder or two related to a popular musical artist, only to find out some things about her own personal life. This book is pretty twisty in away that I was unsure of who the bad guy was even toward the end.

I like this book a lot but I will give my criticism and why it isn’t 5 stars. It’s hard to read on a kindle. If you are looking for the Easter eggs and trying to follow along it is just tough to find. I guarantee in physical copy it will be 5 stars

Second, I’m really loving how thrillers these days use podcasts and Reddit to tell stories.

Ironically, the last book I read was similar to this book in how it was structured. I hope a lot of books move toward this direction.

Great job to the authors on this debut thriller

A really interesting, twisty story written at a fast pace. You cannot put the book down until you know what happens! Laden with plot twists you won’t see coming, Rumoured will keep you on your toes or at the edge of your seat.

Thanks, NetGalley for the copy of this eArc <3

I had so much fun reading this.
I haven’t had a plot twist shock me like this one did in a long time.
I did find the middle a bit slow, but once things picked up I couldn’t out this one down.
Read this if you like books about celebrities, celebrity gossip, conspiracy theories & mystery, then definitely pick this one up! (

Naomi still grieving the loss of her sister after 2 hard years is called to report on her sisters idol as a murder suspect, while this will bring up many painful memories for Naomi , she knows her sister would be pissed if she passed on this opportunity. What started off to be a pretty open and shut case turns out to be anything but and she starts to wonder if they have a serial killer on the lose. Finding not so coincidental events and misleading info at every turn Naomi begins to feel like she's losing her mind.

This book is full of twist and turn that will surly keep you captivated and has an ending most will not be expecting! I did however feel that this book included a lot of fluff that was not necessary to the story and did result in being bored at times and wanting to skip over paragraphs to get to the next scene. Also there are a few points in the book that seem to have been over looked and never really explained away or was not thoroughly thought through.

Overall it was still a good read and would recommend, especially if you are a reader who is just along for the ride and trying to open your own investigation into the plot!

I truly enjoyed this story. It held my attention throughout, flipping through the kindle with urgency. Felt like a detective trying to solve a mystery. Will be recommending to my book friends and looking forward to reading more by these authors.

Really good book. Great twists. Loved the use of articles to help along the story line. (Easter eggs…brilliant).

I am admittedly not into conspiracy theories but this book was entertaining. It kind of chased rabbits in a few spots but in the end I was surprised by the outcome.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read it!

A fast-paced, entertaining thriller packed with celebrity drama, mystery, and plenty of Easter eggs for pop culture fans. Naomi’s investigation into the murder of a high-profile pop star draws you into a tangled web of secrets, lies, and obsession. The mix of lyrics, gossip, and social media posts creates a fresh, immersive experience, while Naomi’s personal struggles add emotional depth beneath the surface. Though it leans a bit YA at times and asks for some suspension of disbelief, fans of celebrity culture and layered mysteries will enjoy this thrilling ride.

Thanks to Bloomsbury USA and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

🎵Rumoured🎵

My first ARC through NetGalley - and it did NOT disappoint. And to add to the excitement, as I was finishing up the last 20% of the book (around 2am of course - someone PLEASE stop letting me start thrillers/mysteries at night), the authors @the_mancaruso_sisters followed me!

This one was a wild ride from start to finish, told mostly from the viewpoint of a reporter named Naomi, with a few POV shifts to the fictitious pop star, Harlow Hayes. It was full of references to real life stars, such as Lana Del Ray and Taylor Swift. In true Swiftie fashion, the story focuses around Easter eggs left by Harlow Hayes in her music! It’s also full of Easter eggs for the readers, with hidden messages from the authors!

This one kept me guessing the whole way through, the ending came out of nowhere! It really raises the question, prison or pop star? What would you choose? This one is out in the USA in October - don’t miss it!

This read is a ride. Emotionally, plot wise, and the characters. Wild.

It's a celebrity drama story filled with Easter eggs and tangled storylines. Going in I didn't really know what to expect, this is a bit out of my normal read but the blurb sounded intriguing.

Naomi takes us on a spiraling journey to discover the truth behind Hollywood's it boy's murder. Her research starts out as expected but she quickly finds herself reading between lyrics, and making her own murder theory wall with string and all.

I loved the depth put into every character. At times it was hard to tell who was telling the truth, and who was living a life of lies. I definitely didn't expect the ending at all. But looking back through the chapters it was hinted at a lot. Which in the authors closing thoughts, they say there are a lot of planted easter eggs for readers. I kind of wish I would have known that going in though, because I missed basically all of them. So know, the authors love anagrams.

Even though Naomi is having a small emotional break in dealing with truths of her sisters death that she ran to LA to get away from, she has a strong support system. Her friends don't write her off, and let her work though the trauma of it all. There were many times I felt like she was stretching only for new evidence to come to light and prove her thoughts to be true.

The hidden horrors of the music industry is on full display in this read, and while in real life the bad guy doesn't usually get his in the end, I think readers will enjoy the satisfying ending to this story.

You're going to love this read if you enjoy decoding fan theories, and clowning with the meaning behind your favorite lyrics. This book will satisfy your curious bones with a pop star that could be your favorite. It's a fun, spiraling read, that let's you get lost along with the main character.

Rumored by Kelly and Kristina Mancaruso is a YA mystery that follows investigative journalist Naomi Barnes as she digs into the shocking case of pop star Harlow Hayes, who’s arrested for murder at the height of her fame. The story explores fame, identity, and media perception, all told through a third-person narrative that at times feels more like reading a transcript or descriptive closed captioning than traditional prose. While the concept is intriguing and timely, the style may feel overly descriptive for some readers. A solid choice for fans of YA celebrity thrillers with a journalistic twist.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
📖 ARC via NetGalley

I really enjoyed this one! I’ve read a ton of crime thrillers, and they can start to blend together — but even though I saw a few plot points coming, I was still totally hooked. It was fun, engaging, and had a great flow. I loved all the Easter eggs and references to Taylor Swift and The Beatles. The writing was smooth, and I appreciated how it tackled celebrity journalism, pop culture, and the bond between sisters. Definitely worth the read if you want something familiar but fresh..

Fun fact:
I had not heard of this book until I signed up for NetGalley's CAMP NETGALLEY, and boy am I glad I did.

One of my top reads of 2025 now, this book is KILLER 🔪
If you love:
Thriller/Mysteries
All things Taylor Swift-ish
Easter eggs in music, lyrics and photos
Music conspiracy theory

Then YES- this book is for you!

Harlow Hayes is one of the top pop stars in the world, and she's just been arrested for murder....

When Naomi Barnes, an entertainment journalist, is put on the story she has to return to NYC. Her old stomping ground, every corner has the ghost of her sister, who she lost recently.

Can Naomi work to investigate the Harlow Hayes story and stay objective as she navigates the dark underbelly of the music industry?

5 stars, 10 stars- just say it's on my top 10 reads of 2025! Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury USA and The Mancaruso sisters for the chance to become a Hayes-ie myself.

This is one of, if not my favorite thriller/mystery book of all time! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time trying to figure out what was going to happen. As a massive fangirl and Taylor Swift fan, I also LOVED the inclusion of Easter Eggs and now that I’ve read it once, I can’t wait to reread and try to find all the clues. I will be recommending this to everyone and I cannot wait for physical copies to be released in North America so I can buy one!
I’ll also be posting my review on my TikTok: @emjusthappytobehere

First thank you to Net Galley for the ARC. This book is so campy and fun. I chose it for the cover but this is bound to be a smash hit. Super fun, well written. Worth every second reading. Highly recommend.