I loved the current pop trends of this book to start with. It was quite novel. Then it felt too overdone. But finally, 1/3 through the book, it settled into its own story and characters and was a really good book. So push through the beginning and it’ll be worth it. I’m glad I read it!

I received a free copy from NetGalley. Celebrity reporter investigates a music star and her investigation takes her to her sister's death years before. She goes down rabbit holes online and with conspiracy theories along the way. A little different take on the idea that the rich and or famous can get away with murder.

Total rating: (3.75)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was NOT what I was expecting. It look a bit to get me invested in the plot, but one I was in… I was IN 🤯. I did not expect the plot twist that came. The pacing in the first half was a bit slow for me, but overall o enjoyed the book.

Naomi works as a reporter for C*Leb magazine, and one a high profile pop star is arrested for murder… our journey begins. Watching Naomi unravel this story was truly an experience, as she truly buys into the conspiracies that most people don’t give a second thought.

If you’re a fan of conspiracy theories, pop stars, tabloids, and the general appeal of stardom… this is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rumoured is a fast-paced, twisty thriller told through social media posts, news clips, and interviews. It’s a juicy, modern mystery about fame, grief, and internet scandal—perfect for fans of drama-filled page-turners.

There was a lot going on in this story. A star dies mysteriously and as a writer looks into things she believes that some other deaths may all be related.

*3.5/5*

Rumored was a suspenseful, twisted, and enthralling. I enjoyed the book and the twist was something I didn’t expect…..but I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing, I feel as if the plot kind of went off the rails a bit, and the ending fell a little flat for me. Regardless this was a fun and interesting read!

Did she or didn't she? Harlow Hayes is America's favorite pop star, an ode to Taylor Swift you might say, until she's arrested for murder.

This is a fast paced thriller filled with Easter eggs galore, hidden clues, wordplay, and anagrams, all to keep you guessing as to who the real villain may or may not be.
The story itself is told from the point of view of Naomi Barnes, a persistent journalist, who might have a personal stake in the case. She lucks out getting the story of a lifetime and tries to stay focused, while grieving the loss of her sister.

The authors do a good job capturing the intoxicating highs and lows of fame in the digital age. They blends journalistic grit, fan conspiracy culture, and psychological tension into a narrative that’s equal parts addictive and emotionally grounded. The story is told via interviews with Harlow, text exchanges, and references to real life events. So lots of things going on, not your standard chapter layout.

It's a fast read, fun, but nothing intellectually stimulating. Take it to the beach or pool while you are relaxing by the water and people watching.

Thank you Head of Zeus for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
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4.5 stars

Rumoured by The Mancaruso Sisters was a wild ride! I’m so thankful to whoever included this book in the Camp NetGalley ‘25 lineup because it definitely deserves the spotlight.

The story follows celebrity news journalist Naomi as she gets an opportunity to write a story on famed popstar Harlow Hayes who has recently been arrested on suspicion of murder. Naomi returns to her home state NY to learn more about Harlow and her alleged crimes, not realizing that she’ll quickly be confronted with not only her suppressed grief from losing her sister a few years prior but also a wilder mystery she couldn’t begin to anticipate.

This book should be added to your TBR immediately if you love to read stories that include:

- Chaotic main characters (one person’s ‘unhinged’ is another’s ‘determined’ 👀)
- The dark side of the music/entertainment industry
- Deep diving conspiracy theories
- Searching for easter eggs

As a person who doesn’t have the strongest tolerance for getting to the root of conspiracy theories, there were many times where I was so exasperated with Naomi but honestly if it wasn’t for people like her (real or fake!) dedicated to getting answers no matter what, so many truths would remain hidden — so props to her, haha! I’m so glad I hung on and heard her out because it was definitely worth my time.

I really appreciate authors who show intentionality in their stories and it was so evident that this author duo really took the time to research this storyline; I was in awe every time I Googled one of their references to a real-life theory and it was actually true. I can’t wait to read their next thriller in 2026!

Well, this wasn't great.

I was really enjoying it until around halfway through. That is when the story, TO ME PERSONALLY, was no longer good enough to outweigh the poor writing.

I have a feeling a lot of people will like this one, though. For me it went off the rails in a way that was so unbelievable it wasn't fun. For you, it may get crazy in a fun campy way. It is worth the time to find out; it is a short, fast-paced read.

I love mixed media in books, so the articles were a nice touch. The writing was also better in them. I think the authors do a better job at the short, punchy moments like those.

Why was Leo there. What did he add. What did any of Naomi's friends add, actually? I feel like a lot of time was spent introducing them each time, and then they just do nothing and disappear. Also, the in-depth descriptions of what everyone is wearing and looks like got really funny to me. Like, we are at the very end, the truth has been revealed. But like we GOTTA know that Harlow has some sick copper lowlights and extensions.

Naomi really got lucky. I swear that girl was just guessing most of the time. She is the main character though, so she gets it right.

#HarlowStillDeservesPrison

I really didn't like the Colton reveal. I don't think it really added much to the story. Just kinda icky for no reason. Also, talking about cannibalism and such absolutely can just be a kink thing, don't let Meghan kinkshame you. The problem is not that he was into violent stuff, it is that he was doing it without consent.

Or whatever.

IDK man you could do worse. This isn't terrible.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

Rumored" by The Mancaruso Sisters takes readers deep into the hidden, darker side of celebrity life. It's an exciting thriller with many turns that will keep you guessing. This first book, written by sisters Kelly and Kristina Mancaruso, expertly mixes the exciting world of pop music with the intense mystery of a murder.

The book is about Harlow Hayes, a famous pop star loved by many, who becomes the main suspect in a surprising murder case. We mostly see the story through Naomi Barnes, a determined journalist with a personal link to the case.

"Rumored" explores how public image and private reality can get mixed up. As Naomi looks closer into Harlow's life, she finds many secrets, how the media manipulates things, and the huge stress that comes with being famous. At the same time, she deals with disturbing connections to her own sister's unexplained death.

The Mancaruso Sisters have created a story that feels very relevant today, touching on topics like extreme fan behavior, online gossip, and the often harmful side of the entertainment business. The story moves quickly, with more clues and victims appearing. The unexpected turns mean that just when you think you know what's happening, something surprising changes everything.

This "ripped from the headlines" story, written by two sisters, has the makings of a viral read. The story follows a young woman, a celebrity journalist, who is still reeling from the loss of her sister three years prior. And then she's put on the bombshell story of a A-list singer (think Taylor Swift) who is accused of double murder.

Overall, there are lots of fun things here to entertain. The narrative includes a number of fictional re-tellings of (real-life) celebrity scandals as well as sharing some actual conspiracy theories from the real world. The famous characters will feel familiar as they are closely based on real people. And I like the world-building the Mancaruso sisters engaged in, creating songs, lyrics, and even artwork for fictional albums. The use of social media posts to convey the public's response was a useful technique, throwing back to the Greek chorus. Oh, and super cover art.

Having said all of that, I probably wasn't the target audience for this. The narrative felt more "new adult" than "adult." And--probably because I'm old enough to know both real-life celebrity gossip as well as some of the more "out there" conspiracy theories of the last 20 years--I saw the twist coming really early on, which made the narrative seem a little long-winded (especially as there's lots more telling than showing here).

Ultimately, I think this will be a hit even if it wasn't entirely for me. It's sort of like a guilty pleasure: gossipy and scandalous.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the authors for an ARC of this book. Read as part of summer #CampNetGalley.

2.5 stars. This books is an ARC I received through Camp NetGalley. The premise sounded super interesting but I did upon reading the book I did not enjoy the formatting of it. It is told in 3rd person but the 3rd person felt really weird. I kept getting lost and having to reread. It also felt like the order for the story was wrong. Like it was going off into tangents and then coming back after a long time or just jumping into the storytellers research. The book had multiple breakaways from the story where we were reading news articles, which are written like they were copy pasted from a real wikipedia page. They were so lengthy and it was not enjoyable to read for me. This book also had a large amount of pop culture references and I do not enjoy that in my books. In terms of overall plot, besides the fact that I felt it could have been written in a better order, the content was pretty good.

A murder muster, that deep dives into the culture of “ Easter eggs “ in music, and toss in some good conspiracy theorists and theories and you have me SAT.

I devouredthis book in a couple days, it was THAT GOOD.
I love a good drama filled book and this book had it all. It truly filled my millennial heart to the brim with joy!

The Easter eggs in music is really where it had me hooked it’s not something I would typically think of when reading but the way it was explained in the book had me so drawn in, I wasn’t expecting and it truly was one of my favorite parts of the book!

Thank you so much for the chance to read this ARC!

First I have to say I may never listen to music the same way! I learned so much about Easter Eggs in music. And conspiracies! I had never heard of “Pail is Dead” so that was wild.

I enjoyed the plot, the conspiracies certainly added to the intrigue of trying to figure out who was the guilty party, the who and why! I liked the anagrams and puzzles in back third of the book as the mystery is being unfolded.

Harlow and Faye were interesting characters, definitely morally gray, and even questionable as to whether you wanted to root for them. And Naomi goes s bit off the rails while investigating Harlow’s arrest for murder.

And they leave you with a “what would you do knowing what you know now” at the end.

Congratulations on the debut novel!

I would say this is a solid 3-star story, upgraded to 4 because I was highly entertained.

Naomi is a writer for a C*Leb News covering the Harlow Hayes murder trial in New York. She hasn't been back to New York since the death of her sister Faye.

Naomi discovers her sister's death might not be as cut and dry as she has believed and goes down the rabbit hole of celebrity conspiracy theories to get answers.

I was getting so into the conspiracy theories right alongside Naomi 🤣 I could just imagine putting up the photos on the wall, connecting people with string, and post-it notes! Discovering the hidden Easter eggs was fun, and the ending was pretty satisfying. Maybe a little rushed feeling but overall satisfying if you imagine being in Naomi's shoes.

Rumoured is about a pop star accused of murder and the journalist assigned to cover the case. This is a unique book. The authors impressively made up lyrics to be part of the clues. It was a fun read but unrealistic and far-fetched. Naomi could be frustrating. Her spiral was entertaining but a little cringe. Her evidence at one point was a "lawyer's" input from Twitter. Naomi that is not reliable evidence for a publication. I don't know how she didn't get fired. And Leo? Leo deserved better. It was so obvious how she was using him. That said, I highly enjoyed her murder wall. One day I would like to make a murder wall.

Thank you to The Mancaruse Sisters, Head of Zeus -- an Aries Book, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A famous popstar! A murder! The scandal that follows. What more can you ask for?

I enjoyed this one. The easter eggs that were scattered throughout added to the story. It held my attention.

My only complaint is the ending was a little too fast.

I adore a good murder mystery, and Rumored did not disappoint! Harlow Hayes, the darling of the pop scene who recently came out with a darker twist, has been arrested for murder. At first, her victims were unknown, but Naomi Barnes, investigative journalist for C*LEB News was sent to New York to cover the story. As she digs into the case using some contacts from her former time living there, a cute police officer that she's been set up with, and her own savvy. It comes out that Harlow is accused of murdering her ex-boyfriend Colton Scott and an unknown model/singer. As Naomi investigates, she starts to discover connections with the death of her own sister, and she becomes increasingly obsessed with the case. She's a very likable protagonist and the reader will be rooting for her to solve the case. There is a lot of suspense, a peek into the life of a pop star, and a gripping read - I finished it in two sittings because I couldn't wait to see how it ended. And the end was a twist I did NOT see coming. I would definitely recommend this to fans of the genre.

This was such a fun read! Rumoured by Kelly and Kristina Mancaruso follows a celebrity magazine journalist, Naomi, as she travels back to her home state for the first time since her sister passed away to cover the arrest of Grammy-winning pop star Harlow Hayes. Naomi becomes an amateur sleuth as she takes a personal interest in the case, taking it upon herself to figure out if Harlow Hayes is a killer…Who did she kill? Has she killed before? Will she kill again?

I did not want to put this down, I was hooked!! And just like Naomi, I needed to know the truth! I enjoyed the multiple POV with articles and online chatter. And while I did guess the major twist early on (the authors are upfront about leaving “Easter eggs” for the reader to figure it out) it did not hinder my enjoyment of the read! It’s easy to tell the authors had fun writing this book, and their love of music really shown through. This felt like a perfect, cozy thriller to me.

This book is definitely a ride. I'd say it's a solid three-star book for anyone who reads mystery/thrillers. A four-star book for an introduction to the genre. The premise of a pop star getting revenge on her ex-boyfriend by murdering him? Heck yes! The reporter following the story and being baffled by a second death linked to it? Oh yeah! The rabbit hole it followed was even interesting and well thought out. It was insane! I loved the information I've learned, and I'm doing more research on it.

However, where this book fell flat for me was the pacing and characters. It was such a slow mystery. There was so much information to discover, but it didn't feel like we were really uncovering anything new until the last ten percent of the book. The information made our main character, Naomi, go crazy with possibilities and the horror of them. I didn't feel it. It was neat, but I didn't really care. I did not relate to that or our character Naomi. She started off great when the case started, but as she started to get more obsessed, the less I cared about her. The authors told us how she was feeling all the time but didn't have much action in showing us. (Besides the constant picking at her lips until they bled.) I would have loved to feel the descent into the obsession more or the heartache from losing her sister. The happy memories were tinged by how her and her sister fought all the time or was neglected by their mother. Furthermore, I hated the switching of point of views between Naomi and sometimes Harlow. I understand why it was done, but every time Harlow's chapter came up it didn't add anything. It just took away from the flow of Naomi.

The reason I say this is a three-star book for people who read thrillers is because the ending was predictable for me. You get the feeling about a third of the way or halfway through the book what's going to happen. I didn't like it. It was interesting and unique, for sure. I respect that I haven't read anything like this in a very long time if not ever before. I loved the idea. I just didn't like the characters and both of them ending up being morally unjust didn't help. I was very happy to read this, and it definitely has an addictive writing style. I would love to try something from the authors in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC of this book.