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.

"Rumored" by Kelly and Kristina Mancaruso delivers a thrilling, fast-paced ride into the dark side of celebrity. The novel centers on Harlow Hayes, a pop superstar in the vein of Taylor Swift, who finds herself embroiled in a shocking murder investigation, including the death of her former boyfriend.

Enter Naomi Barnes, a tenacious celebrity investigative reporter determined to uncover the truth. As Naomi digs deeper, she unearths a surprising personal connection to the unfolding drama. The authors expertly weave together a tapestry of easter eggs, intriguing conspiracy theories, contemporary pop culture references, and high-stakes celebrity drama, keeping the reader hooked from start to finish.

The story's quick, impactful ending leaves you craving more, making "Rumored" a compelling read for anyone who enjoys a gripping thriller with a touch of Hollywood intrigue.

While it took me a while to get into this book, once I was in it, I was in it!

I really appreciated the use of “obvious” answers being brought forward and proven to be wrong. The use of Easter Eggs added another twist that really kept me on my toes!

Additionally, it can be tricky sometimes having two different writers. I never noticed until I finished the book that two authors were involved. Beautiful work and more authors should take note on that!

This book had me on the edge of my seat! I loved the conspiracies and the mystery and the way it kept me guessing. I wish that there had been a bit more of a wrap up but it was overall amazing!

“Don’t meet your idols.”

This book is a murder mystery filled with celebrity gossip, family drama, and conspiracy theories. It’s fun and turned out to be a great pallet cleanser, summer read!

I am pretty sure this book confirms I am a mood reader that is just along for the ride because I did not see that twist coming at all!! I knew Faye and Harlow’s lives had to be intertwined or overlapped in some way, but I was still shocked. I was feeling stuck for a while when there were more and more questions and things weren’t adding up. Like, is Naomi a reliable narrator?? She lost me a little going off the deep end around the middle of the story. Just as well, all the clues are right in front of you if you pay attention. Everything has a purpose! If you’re a fan of artists that leave Easter egg clues in their work, or any kind of celebrity conspiracy theories, then you’ll love this book.

Hot take: This is how I learned Lana del Ray was previously Lizzy Grant??

As a popcorn thriller, this lives up to its name in terms of "shocking" twists. If you dabble in conspiracy theories and enjoy the music industry (or simply Taylor Swift, as the lead character is clearly modeled after her), this might just be for you.

Personally, having worked in the industry both in the label and the journalism fields, a lot of this really didn't work for me -- largely because it's so absurd (and the big "reveal" felt quite obvious very early on -- but perhaps I owe that to being a Millennial music nerd). The plot basically hinges on conjecture and hearsay and when one of the main characters is a journalist (even if it is from a perceived "gossip" style online mag), that really rubbed me the wrong way (especially in this media environment!), in terms of obvious legalities that would intercede any of this being real life. For this reason, the plot feels patchy at best. As a commentary on public opinion, parasocial celebrity obsession, and social media armchair philosophy, initially I really thought this book was taking aim and shooting straight, which felt fresh and exciting but ultimately, I was left pretty underwhelmed.

That being said -- this being a wild ride would be an understatement. Just be prepared to suspend your disbelief by quite a large measure. Personally, I think this would perhaps work best with a reader who is more of a casual fan of the media business.

I have feedback but not an entire review since I DNFed the book. Everything about this book feels one dimensional. At 29% in, I did not pick up on any subplot to support the plot. Additionally, all the supporting characters only make an appearance when they have a piece of info to feed to the main character, which makes them feel convenient and easy instead of genuine characters with arcs of their own. I didn't feel like I could connect to any of the characters, therefore not really caring about their outcome.

I tried to give this novel a chance but the pacing was so slow that the "pieces of the puzzle" that are revealed are not worth the wait and are lackluster. All the articles and tabloids prevent the reader from getting close to the FMC, they pull the reader out of her headspace and paint her to be an unreliable and impressionable source.

I think the tension in this book could be increased by tightening up what has been written (maybe cutting around 10,000 words) and then adding in some chapters from the POV of "Harlow's" character.

I thought this was going to be a thriller, but it felt like I got online and read a lot of speculation about a pop star. I can do that on my own already and read about a person I care about. I don't feel like I am given anything to hope for in means of outcome. Also, the plot just feels flat. I picked up on a body double like 10% through (though I could be wrong). I recommend some red herrings to stir interest and build tension.

This is book is on its way, but it isn't quite there yet.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
“For the glory and fame, I’d do it the same.”

This one is for the Swifties. Rumoured follows a pop star, Harlow Hayes, who is accused and arrested for two murders. The similarities are uncanny - Harlow gets told she doesn’t deserve her award at the VMAs (hello, Kanye), takes a dark and edgy turn during the pandemic, and even has fans looking for Easter eggs in song titles and cover art.

As a reader, you will have to suspend your disbelief from sea to shining sea. The FMC even at one point admits that the sequence of events is “preposterous”. However, the story is engaging and even though it is unbelievable…all of my questions are reconciled. At the end of the day, it makes sense. I enjoyed that it was a wild ride and that some of my theories were on the right track, but not entirely correct.

One thing that was really unique is the primary sources, articles, gossip posts, social media comments, and song lyrics throughout the book. They added other voices and layers of intrigue to the plot, and they were simply well written.

Rumoured is twisty, thrilling, and fun. If you want a “whodunnit” that will give you goosebumps, pick this one up!

Rumoured was such a fun read. Harlow is the world's most famous pop star at the height of her career. And then she gets accused of murder. Naomi is a celebrity journalist following Harlow's story and trying to solve the mystery. As a Swiftie I loved the easter egg vibes of it all. It was a super fun thriller and perfect for pop culture addicts.

The format of this novel and the cover intrigued me for this one. As someone quite deep in a fandom, I thought it would be a perfect summer read. I was interested mostly in the format: lyrics, news stories, tweets, Easter eggs, and celeb drama.

I definitely enjoyed it for what it was - a chaotic and voyeuristic thriller that follows Naomi Barnes, a writer for C*Leb News who is following and investigating a murder case. The murderer just so happens to be the biggest pop star in the world, Harlow Hayes. It’s full of twists and turns and I was excited to see how it would all play out.

It definitely reads as YA or fanfic, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing - if you are into that. You can’t go into it expecting more than what it promises, which is a fast paced, scandalous dive into the gossip-filled celebrity world.

A con for me was the formatting of the e-book. It was very disjointed but if it’s fixed for the final version, it would read a little easier.

A perfect little summer read that gives Taylor Swift x Halsey vibes and twists and turns until the end. Also a final little shout-out to BTS Army was a fun little surprise. 💜

I received an e-arc in exchange for an honest review and I’d like to thank NetGalley, Bloomsbury USA, Head of Zeus - an Aries Book, and the authors, Kelly and Kristina Mancaruso for the advance copy. #CampNetGalley

Rumoured begins with a bang as we find out that world famous pop star ,Harlow Hayes, has been arrested for murder. Who did she murder? Baby…this is only the beginning of a murder mystery that kept me turning pages late into the night like I did not have to be up at the crack of dawn.

As the mystery grew, so did the questions and I swear, you feel like it’s modern day celeb news and you are drawn to social media, television and news outlets trying to put the pieces together to figure out what happened and why.

The Mandarin Sisters do a phenomenal job of pacing the story with tidbits of information and giving you insight into Harlow’s world via the work of a reporter named Naomi as she begins investigating what happened the story includes articles written about Harlow, the social media posts on TikTok, and Harlow’s lyrics. The court of public opinion is featured significantly throughout the story, which we all know can be a very unreliable source of information. It definitely adds a layer of complexity to the mystery and I found it enthralling how deep the rabbit hole could go.

Naomi has ghosts of her own as she lost her sister, who was trying to make it in the music world so she’s often comparing her sister’s journey to that of Harlow and wondering what could have been if her sister had been successful. Naomi’s investigation has you second guessing theories about what really happened that keep you on the edge of your seat and sometimes question your own sanity and judgement.

Rumoured is a juicy, salacious mystery that has many twists and turns, leaving you unsure of how it will end and I enjoyed every minute of it!

Thank you Bloomsbury USA and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rumored starts with a compelling premise—a celebrity murder scandal, a determined journalist, and a trail of secrets that might link it all to a personal tragedy. Naomi, a writer for C*leb News, is called back to New York to cover the arrest of A-list pop star Harlow Hayes. As Naomi begins to peel back the layers of Harlow’s past, she uncovers surprising ties to her own family’s history—particularly the death of her sister years earlier.

The narrative is punctuated with gossip articles and online posts, which add a fun, multimedia feel to the story and help build the atmosphere of a high-profile, media-fueled scandal. The book shines when it focuses on the mystery and the intersection between fame, public perception, and personal trauma.

However, despite the intriguing setup and strong concept, Rumored struggled to hold my attention. The pacing dragged in places, and the story took a strange and abrupt turn about three-quarters of the way through that felt more confusing than surprising. While conspiracy theories and clever Easter eggs can be fun, here they overwhelmed the narrative rather than elevating it.

That said, readers who enjoy layered mysteries with a pop culture twist may still find something to enjoy in this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA | Head of Zeus for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Really happy I picked this book for Camp NetGalley - it was like reading real time drama and tea. I had a lot of fun reading this and felt interested the entire time. I look forward to more books by this author! Thank you for the ARC!

Thank you @bloomsburybooksus and @netgalley for the free arc copy 💖.

🗓️Out October 7th, 2025

✨What it is about:
Harlow is a pop star at the height of her fame, loved by millions, known for her raw, emotional music, until she’s suddenly arrested for murder. The media explodes, and everyone thinks they know the truth about her… but do they?✨

💭My thoughts:
“Is she a beloved icon or a murderer?”
This was a lot of fun! The story is told through the eyes of Naomi, an investigative journalist with her own reasons for digging into the case. As she uncovers secrets and chases leads, you get a an up close look into to the glitzy, messy world of fame, and the dark things that can happen behind the scenes. It really makes you think about how much we don’t see when it comes to celebrities and Hollywood.
These days, that glossy image of fame is starting to crack, and this book taps right into that. Celebs are just people at the end of the day, even if they live their lives in public.
The story itself was twisty, fast-paced, and felt like scrolling through a live celebrity scandal on social media. Lots of twists, some far fetched, lots of drama, and an unreliable narrator that kept me guessing the whole time until something clicked and I figured how it all would end. It was a quick read I really enjoyed.

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
🎤Psychological suspense
🎤Pop Culture/ pop stars
🎤Celebrity life/ the dark side of fame
🎤Emotional journeys
🎤Modern scandals/celebrity gossip
🎤Conspiracy theories
🎤Easter eggs in music, lyrics, pictures

⚠️CW: Discussions of murder, death, violence, addiction, overdose, grief and loss.

I skimmed the beginning, predicted the end, skimmed the end, and was right.

I also hated the articles taking up the majority of the first 10%.

Title: Rumoured
Authors: Kelly & Kristina Mancaruso
Format: Advanced Reader Copy (eBook)
Narration Style: N/A
Tropes/Themes: Pop star scandal, celebrity gossip, sisterhood, investigative journalism, murder mystery

@goodfucknggirl rating: 3 stars – “Enjoyed It, Just Didn’t Love It”
✨ Gave me something different
✨ Would recommend to the right reader
✨ Fun, fast-paced read that didn’t fully wow me

⸻

Review:
Wow—Rumoured was one wild, twisty ride! If you live for internet conspiracy theories, dive into celeb gossip threads for fun, or still secretly check TMZ, this book will absolutely scratch that itch.

The story follows Harlow Hayes, an ultra-famous pop star whose life is flipped upside down when she’s arrested for double homicide. Enter Naomi Barnes, a sharp and grieving celebrity journalist who starts unraveling the truth behind the headline—and her personal connection to the case. Told in dual POV and sprinkled with juicy extras like lyrics, social posts, gossip columns, and fan theories, Rumoured reads like a fast-moving Twitter thread you can’t stop refreshing.

The premise? Brilliant. The celebrity parallels? Unmissable. Think Taylor Swift meets Britney circa 2007 with a splash of Only Murders in the Building. There’s a ton of Easter eggs, and decoding them was half the fun.

Where it fell a bit short for me was the emotional depth and the ending. While the pace was quick and engaging, some of the characters’ thoughts—especially Naomi’s—felt repetitive, and the resolution didn’t land with the punch I hoped for. I wanted more OMG moments and a bigger climax after all the build-up.

Still, Rumoured is a fun, dramatic, and timely mystery perfect for celebrity culture junkies. If you like your thrillers with a side of gossip, glitter, and girl power, this one is worth picking up.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA | Head of Zeus for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book follows Naomi a reporter for a celebrity tabloid, less trashy than TMZ but around People Magazine. When a VERY famous pop star is convicted of a double murder Naomi is tasks with covering the case and looking in to what really went down. Naomi gets VERY invested in the investigation.

This book is fun, it includes social media posts, comments, song lyrics, and newspaper clips. It is twisty and turny and took many turns I didn't expect, which as a regular mystery and thriller reader I don't always get surprised by these books. The writing is good and when I was reading it I didn't want to stop. So, why only 3.75 stars? I think at times this book gets a little to in the weeds. There were parts of it that were introduced as part of the large grand conspiracy but then never actually got explained in the big reveal. There was just so many pieces of this that not all of it had time to be fleshed out. There is also a sudden perspective add that although it helps explain things it always feels very abrupt when it isn't included from the start (just a personal pet peeve).

That being said this book is fun, its a fun mystery set in celebrity society. It has a lot of cool hidden messages in music and album art like the Beetles had. There is a lot of good in this book. If you like complex mysteries and reading about how rich people misuse their power you will like this book. Also if you want a book about a Taylor Swift like pop star could be accused of murder, you might like this.

Review by Nic @polycraftory on Instagram & Tumblr where I do book reviews and crafts with my polycule. If you are curious about my thoughts on more books, you can find me @businesswife on Storygraph or Nic Morrow on Netgalley. You can also find content warnings on my Storygraph review of this book. You can also find my reviews @polycraftory on Goodreads.