This book has some significant twists and turns that throw you at some points, but with how strong the plot is and how well the story flows, it doesn't leave you confused but makes you more invested.
I love the characters

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Whaaaaat? I read a YA novel and kinda liked it?

The Cousins is a mystery thriller that is set on an island. The location and plot were refreshing and while this didn't keep me turning the page till the wee hours of the morning, it was a fun book to read and should it be made into a movie, it will probably be fun to watch.

Another thriller from Karen McManus that I just couldn't put down! An incredible setting, characters you really empathise with, and twist after brilliant twist. It's the perfect read for a long, lazy summer's day, and one that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Another YA thriller from Karen McManus that I couldn’t put down! Her character development, clever twists and the fast pace of her novels keeps me hooked in from the start. The Cousins was no exception.

Another stunning novel by the queen of YA crime. Unlike her previous novels, the crime here isn't apparent from the start and I love that! Full of twists and turns this plot does not let you get complacent!

This is the fourth book i've read by Karen McManus and it is hands down my favourite. Yes this is YA and i'm an older reader, but i connected with the characters and became invested in what happened to them.

The idea of the story was superb and the amount of twists and turns was awesome. Just as i thought it was the last twist, along came another one. i also really enjoyed that it was kind of a happy ending but not in the traditional sense - i can't say much more without giving it away but it wasn't all tied up in a bow like a lot of books are.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.

The Cousins is a stand-alone thriller, unlike her last book, One of Us is Next. It's also a bit of a departure from her Bayview books in that it isn't high school focused. The mystery here all takes place on a small island off New England, which has been turned into a resort and playground for the rich and famous.

Rather than a close group of friends, or high school acquaintances, the three central characters here are family, cousins in fact. However this doesn't meant that they're close. At the start of the book they really don't know each other at all, other than vague recollections of long ago family gatherings. This is essentially a thriller mystery about family histories and relationships. There are secrets buried deep in the past, not spoken of by siblings who've grown distant and apart. As the cover of the proof reads, "You Know What You Did." Unfortunately, neither the main POV characters or the reader does for most of the book

.I absolutely loved the central mystery in this novel. It unfolded perfectly, giving out little hints and clues as I read through, so that I could feel it coming together but not quite make out the total shape of it. Then it all suddenly came together in a climatic finale in a very satisfying way. It's one of those perfectly paced thrillers, for me, where I figure it out just seconds before the characters do.

The characters are also excellent. Karen is a master at pulling off multiple points of view stories, and it is so clever how she does it while managing to conceal secrets those characters have from the reader. Somehow it never felt like we were being lied to, but there were distinct layers to be peeled away before we got the full story. There are really strong themes and issues in there too, most particularly around parental respect and approval, as well as the harmful and long-lasting damage of secrets and lies, and the importance of forgiveness, where appropriate. Some of the characters were really lovely and worked their way into my heart, others were just the absolute worst! On the technical side, I was particularly impressed with how well Karen wove together first and third person perspectives, to subtly distinguish between the current day setting of the three cousins and a historic perspective that wove its way through the main narrative.

My one complaint is that reading this made me feel old! Specifically, there's one reference to a character's mother enjoying the 90s grunge music she listened to in college, and another about Empire Records being someone's parent's favourite movie. That was just mean!

This aside, The Cousins is another outstanding mystery from the queen of the YA thriller!

This book is a bit more predictable than the last one I read by McManus, but none the worse for that because it is well written and compelling in its narrative style. A very satisfying read.

This is the perfect summer read to get you out of a reading slump. I would recommend it to everyone.

I struggled with this book. I was disappointed after loving both One Of Us Is Lying and Two Can Keep A Secret. This book felt rushed and I really just didn't care about any of the characters except Aubrey by the end of the book.

The plotline between Milly and fake Jonah felt strange and forced, and the concept of having a fake Jonah on the island just seemed to detract from the real mystery in the plot.

I still enjoyed it overall, but I did feel it was a bit of a let down unfortunately in comparison to her previous works.

The Cousins is a dark, dramatic family mystery that comes to light when the Story siblings’ children, Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah, are invited to work at their grandmother’s resort, despite their parents being cutoff from her for many years.

Their parents are clear — The cousins are going. The invite isn’t optional, and perhaps presents an opportunity to get back on their mother’s good side.

When they arrive, cousins Milly, Aubrey and Jonah quickly realize things are off at the resort, and on the island — Who is their grandmother and why did she drive their parents away?

The Cousins was pretty interesting though elements of the conclusion felt a little far-fetched. While this one held my interest and I found each of the cousins to be likable, I didn’t like this book as much as One of Us Is Lying. That said, it’s clear McManus knows how to keep an audience intrigued.

I have read both Karen's novels before and have high exceptions, and she didn't let me down. The story was a steady development, I was drawn into the story.

I don't think I've seen a book divide Goodreads quite this much in a while! Is Karen a genius, or is she just recycling her own old plots? Was the twist in this one (come on, you knew there was at least one twist, this is Karen McManus) inspired or stupid? What about that sequel hook at the end, was it clever or is she grasping for readers?
Well, I can't answer any of those questions, because like all art novels are subjective. But I'll give you my opinions.

First: I don't think Karen has lost her touch. Time did seem to pass oddly, but otherwise I really enjoyed this. I thought the characters had their own voices, the descriptions were great, and everything was well presented. It's a clever idea for a setting; an island, but not a deserted one where the characters are trapped. Instead it's a luxury resort where the characters 'work' (their actual labour has very little to do with the story.)

Second: I thought the twist was clever. When I reread I'll be watching out for hints leading up to it. That said, it wasn't the jaw dropping. ohmygod moment that One of Us is Lying was. This was clever, but maybe because we figured it out in stages, it didn't hit me the same way.

Third: I liked the sequel hook. I'd like to read more of these characters, maybe with a quick recap to remind me who everyone is and what happened.

Speaking of: all those A names kept tripping me up, especially Archer and Anders. I kept having to stop and think about who was who and what was the relationship and who knew what when. Traditionally, though, I don't remember names very well, so maybe other people weren't so bothered by it.


Overall I really enjoyed this, I'd like to read more, but the twist was not quite as amazing as her first.

I think I have to finally admit, that I should stay away from YA novels. They just don't excite me as much as they used to anymore and they tend to leave me disappointed. Unfortunately, this was also the case with this book.

The book definitely isn't bad, but it just did not meet my expectations. One major thing that disappointed me was, that, until the very end, I never really understood what the mystery was supposed to be. Yes, the parents of the protagonists were disinherited but somehow the mystery to it was lacking.
Unfortunately, I also found the plot twists extremely boring and not surprising at all as they were your typical plot twists that you expect in every novel. A lot of the times, they also seemed to come out of nowhere and didn't seem to have been developed at all.
At last, I also found the characters quite flat. I just didn't feel like there was anything more to them and I didn't feel like I was getting to know them. They were fine, but they didn't stand out.
Also...I didn't understand the perspective of Allison at all. It didn't really seem to add anything to the plot and, in my opinion, her POV was completely unnecessary.

I'm sure if I were younger and hadn't read so many books yet, this would've been right up my alley. I would definitely recommend kids in their early teens to pick up this book.

This was a fun, quick paced thriller to binge through.
With many twists thrown in all the way through, it kept you asking questions about the Story family's secrets.
I think this would make a good summer/holiday read with themes of touristy small island life.

If you were a fan of We Were Liars by E. Lockhart I think you'd enjoy the toxic rich family drama with all the politics and manipulation to gain the upper hand. And the legendary inheritance of course.

I'm still not too sure how I feel about some aspects of the end reveal. I generally prefer when the major reveal can be traced back through all the little innocent clues and red herrings the author has peppered throughout the story rather than relying on information that the reader could never have known. While the plot twist didn't completely do this, I thought some of the reveals mid way through the book were a little stronger. However this is subjective to each reader and very much down to personal taste.

The Cousins is the story of three cousins; Milly, Jonah and Aubrey and the mystery surrounding their family. Why had their grandmother cut their parents off and why now have they all mysteriously got a letter inviting the grandchildren to her estate to work for the summer.

I have read a couple books by K. McManus beforehand and usually enjoy them just fine. I had heard a lot of people saying really good things about this one, and recommending it to me so I was thrilled when I got given an ARC for review.

I don't really mesh well with YA thrillers in general. I find that not enough happens, they aren't gritty enough or dark enough for my tastes, but with that being said I still enjoyed this one. It was still fairly light and fluffy for a mystery/thriller and was more mystery than anything. Kind of gave me We Were Liars vibes. It was a quick an easy read and I was able to just flick through it really quickly.

I enjoyed Milly and Jonah (Aubrey was a bit of a bore, I'm sorry to say), but I didn't really like any of the other characters. The plot was fine, it moved quickly enough for me and was satisfying enough without being shock worthy. The twists I saw coming most of the time (with the exception of one), but I still didn't hate that.

I have another K. McManus on my shelf for reading and I will continue to think about picking up her future releases. It's a solid YA mystery, but maybe YA mystery just isn't my thing.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me and ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Yet another strong offering from Karen McManus! Whenever I pick up one of her books I am always confident I will enjoy it. As well as being a fast paced and unpredictable thriller, The Cousins presents an interesting take on dysfunctional family dynamics and their impact on children. The book also takes McManus in a slightly different direction than normal as the protagonists come from a wealthy family, giving it a slight M. A. Bennett feel. If I am being honest I didn't love it as much as the other novels she has written but it was very well constructed, the characters were all equally interesting and the twist at the end was expertly done. You won't be disappointed.

If I’m ever recommending a crime book to a parent of a teen, or to someone who loves an unputdownable, twisty thriller, Karen M. McManus is always my go-to author. Often parents will come up to me in the bookshop I work at and say: ‘My daughter doesn’t usually read, but she’s obsessed with One of Us Is Lying’, or: ‘My son read all of Karen M. McManus’s books and is now hooked on thrillers, and has got his friends reading them too’. This is part of the beauty of her books: not only are they all incredibly well-written—without ever alienating reluctant readers, might I add—but they’re all downright addictive. Comparisons with bingeworthy Netflix dramas are definitely not unfounded; I defy anyone reading one of her books to not want to finish it in one sitting. Considering I made a conscious effort to hide myself away on lunch breaks so I could read it, and practically hissed at anyone who interrupted me, The Cousins is no exception to this rule.

MY GOD. If anyone thinks thrillers are becoming predictable, then point them in the direction of The Cousins, because I guarantee they will be floored by the twists. One of the things that McManus is best at is luring in her readers with ostensibly classic thriller concepts. In The Cousins, three cousins are invited to their grandmother’s home out of the blue, having never met her. Since their grandmother cast out her four children with a dramatic note reading ‘You know what you did’, the cousins are desperate to get to know her, and find out why she disowned her kin. As they attempt to get close to her, they get to know each other after years apart, and unearth secrets about each other, their parents, and their estranged grandmother.

If you think you can see where this is going, I guarantee you are wrong.

Part of the lure of The Cousins comes from the multiple perspectives. The three different narrators keep the plot fresh, and interestingly are not always the most reliable of storytellers. There’s something magnetic about her adolescent characters, who are never stereotyped or generalised in tropes used when writing about teenagers; they’re all resourceful and intelligent in their own ways, and are as well-rounded as any character in an adult thriller. I found myself as drawn to the relationship building between the three cousins—Milly, who takes no crap from anyone; sweet and perceptive Aubrey; and sarky, infuriating Jonah—as I was to the mystery. The side-characters are no exception; each are integral to the plot in their own way, and no cameo is wasted, which keeps you constantly guessing as to each person’s significance on the overall plot. What McManus also manages exceptionally well is a fine balance between character building and narrative progression; the twists and turns don’t start to come until mid-way through the book, but not a single page is wasted in building up the mystery and the colourful cast caught in the middle of it.

Secrets are uncovered on practically every page, and as the story races to its dramatic conclusion, the events are scandalous, the characters’ actions are gloriously morally questionable, and the reveals are utterly wild. It’s an absolute rollercoaster, and I couldn’t think of a more fun and dramatic cast of characters to deliver all the punchlines and shocking truths.

A million comparisons with iconic authors and popular franchises could be drawn, but I honestly think McManus has created her own genre of thriller. With her wonderful characters and a plot that builds gradually before madly twisting and turning, her books are perfect reads for both die-hard thriller fans and for those getting started in the genre. I’m certain even the biggest McManus fans won’t be able to predict what will happen—I went into The Cousins suspicious of everything and trusting no one, and I still came out of it breathless and shocked.

The Cousins has solidified McManus’s status as a household name in YA, and now the book is out in the world, I know it will serve as a fabulous introduction for new readers in the genre, and thrill those who are already fans. Bring on book five!

I really liked this! And was so pleased to get an early copy as I had been so excited to read it!
It was great, really gripping and fab story telling, just like all of the authors gorged titles!