This was a fine murder-mystery crime caper that I thought was enjoyable and a brisk read but not quite up to par with her earlier and more popular works. Although, saying that, the ending was my favourite twist of the whole story and I would absolutely read a follow-up!

This was quite a different feel from the authors previous books, which I loved. But I really enjoyed this one too! It had everything a great mystery/thriller needs!

This book definitely have the mystery that kept me wondering who done it. I enjoyed it at the beginning, but as I go on I started to like the characters less and less. Since the book have the point of view chapters, it started to feel dragging because of the unlikable characters. However, the twist was pretty good.

This is probably my least liked Karen M. McManus book.

Thankyou to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book. I have read a few book by this author and i have enjoyed them all so i was excited to give this a go. i have to say i flew through it. i liked the writing style and how the story took place over 24 hours. i thought i guessed the who done it but then it was plot twist no you havent.

Overall a good read and i cant wait to read more.

Do you like Murder mystery? A book with so many twists and turns your neck turns into a pretzel? If yes then I highly recommend You’ll Be The Death of Me by Karen M McManus.

Admittedly this was my first book by this author but I have heard good things about her One of Us is Lying series so thought why not. I was pleasantly surprised, not only by the tone of the book but how easy it was to read (read it in two sittings) and how much I enjoyed my head going WTF and as I’m told by my friend who saw my facial expressions - “take it that was a good bit”.

The book follows three Senior High School students in America - Ivy, Mateo and Cal. Friends before they hit high school and then grew apart - they come together on this day as they are all dealing with their own personal stressors and decide to skip school like they did when they were younger. Problem is the last time they did it, it became the Best Day Ever - now they have found another student dead and Ivy looks like she is being framed for the murder.

It shows you on the journey the three make, that they are still hiding things from one another and that their lives though separate for the past few years has come crashing back together and they have always been linked. You see the three trying to work together, to uncover what is happening but along the way discovering past secrets that impact one another.

There is a lot of secrets revealed, and I felt that it was done well, like peeling an onion one layer at a time until you got to the centre - to be fair with this book it was dark and slightly rotten but to get there was definitely a ride. I felt that the characters were well written and I honestly liked the different dynamics between the three main characters - Ivy, Mateo and Cal. They were from different backgrounds with different expectations on themselves as well as from others. I will say that Cal is my favourite and brought lightheartedness to the book, his comments and thought process in his chapters were definitely one of my favourite parts of the book.

I will say that this book is left open ended - I wasn’t expecting it but I’m not mad about it. It does leave it open fo r another book, and I can see Ivy definitely upping her game in the second book.

This book does have some trigger warnings - death, Murder, alcohol consumption, drug misuse, underage relationship between a teacher and pupil, assault, blood, hostage, blackmail.

I was really looking forward to this novel after recently enjoying One Of Us Is Lying however I found the plot didn’t keep me interested and there so many characters that I found myself getting confused.

I loved One of Us is Lying, though the Cousins was average, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from this, but I loved it. I loved the characters (which to be fair, might be why I didn’t like the cousins - half of the main group I couldn’t stand) - Ivy, Mateo and Cal were fantastic, and like the first Bayview book, they all seemed like actual teenagers (albeit, ones with insanely dramatic lives). I liked Ivy as the main protagonist - she wasn’t perfect, but she wasn’t tragically flawed either. Mateo and Cal were both fun, especially considering how different they were. The plot was quite entertaining (the IZ channel was great), and i definitely didn’t predict the end twist. Overall I enjoyed it a lot.

This is my favourite of Karen McManus' book. I loved the way it played with tropes and the way it had my heart lodged in my throat.

There are some books that, when you dissect and think about later (as in before writing of its review), you feel like the content was not that special. However, the reading experience was just right for the size and type of narrative. This is one such book.
I really enjoyed it when I finished it a while ago, and now when I think about it, nothing stands out. Despite that, I highly recommend this book in this genre. The author's writing is light but emotional. There is something in the way the twist unravels, and the story progresses that is engrossing. I have found almost all her books a one-sitting read, just to see where everything will lead to.
In this book, we are back in a high school with three estranged friends who are all prepping to have a bad day. As they muse about their respective issues, both home and otherwise, they recollect a day long ago when they all had played truant together and went sightseeing.
Before they enter the school, a chance encounter leads them down the same path. I will not go into any further details for obvious reasons.
Once they set off, the time and current differences make things awkward between them. The final nail is a dead body in a place they should not have known about and where none of them should have been. This spirals things out of control quite instantly. The way media is used by any passerby to spread information is used as a tool to progress the story. It shows how easily someone can be convinced of a certain turn of events without having any first or even second-hand knowledge.
As I mentioned earlier, the ending is well worth the wait. I was a little puzzled about how things were winding down when the unexpected happened! I am curious about how the twist will be further explored in the next installment because it has a minimal scope of being thrilling.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience of this and other works by the same author.

This author really knows how to write a thriller so intriguing and solid that it leaves me thinking about it for days, I loved what she did with this new release and I’m glad I got to read it before its release date. With this book, I especially appreciate the plot, as I think it has all the compliments that I love in this genre and the author has a way of developing the story in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat, the characters, on the other hand, were just okay, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying another good mystery/thriller YA book from the author.

In this story, we follow Ivy, Mateo, and Cal, three Carlton High students and old friends, who upon meeting in the hallways during what’s turning out to be a bad day for everyone, decide to skip school and go to the city like in the old days. Until they spot another Carlton High student skipping school–and follow him to the scene of his own murder. It seems they still have something in common, all three have a connection to the dead boy and all three seem to be hiding something.

What the author does best in creating her plots are the twists, turns, and revelations, it will always be my favorite thing about this author. This plot in itself seems to be the typical cliche of students and a dead boy, right? but, overall the second part of this book proves that it’s much more than that, with incredible handling of suspense and anticipation, the author manages to keep us hooked with the plot and wanting to know what connects the characters, what things they hide, and what else is behind everything that’s happening. And I’ll tell you something, the ending it’s AMAZING.

On the other hand, I can’t help but notice that the first half of the book seemed a bit long and pointless, it’s always positive that we have time with each character and learn a bit about their lives, as it gives us more depth and an idea about the possible reactions of these ones, but on the other hand, I feel that maybe there’s a lot of filler at times and it takes a bit to get to the point that draws us to read the book which is the strong point, the murder, the drama, and the revelations. Still, it’s an enjoyable book, but I felt this was a valid point to mention. The same thing happens in her book, The Cousins, but I think it’s executed more successfully in that book because of the setting.

The characters aren’t to stand out in my opinion, but they do keep the plot uncertain and unpredictable with their attitudes and personality, which is honestly enough for me in this genre. The personal stories did get to me and I understand the actions of some of them, but even so, I don’t think they’re the strong point of the story, but the plot and the execution of it took all my applause.

The author’s writing style is always super enjoyable for me in fact when I finish reading one of her books I always want to read more, I think she has the ability to catch the reader with how addictive and fast-paced her style is. Plus, you can really see how brilliant this author’s mind is and how she weaves her plots to give us totally unexpected outcomes that leave us with our mouths open! I’ll definitely continue reading her work.

The ending was very good, unexpected, surprising, and very well done. There will be a sequel? I hope so because everything ends up facing that conclusion! It’s a very solid thriller with good twists and attention to detail, which I like a lot, the characters didn’t surprise me in themselves with their personalities, but with their actions, and are well created to give us many surprises.
I would recommend this book without hesitation, especially for the plot that has been worked very closely, there’s an attention to detail and care in terms of the information that’s given, and that’s great. Also, the twists are incredible and I didn’t see them coming at all, which I love! Of course, being a Karen M. McManus’ thriller we’re entering an addictive plot which you won’t be able to stop reading once you start, and also such a fast pace book! won’t weigh you down at any time. It’s a great book, I highly recommend it!

You'll be the Death of Me is a twisty, dark read that keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time you're reading it. The story follows three estranged friends, Ivy, Mateo, and Cal, who come back together to uncover the truth behind a deadly crime.

Ivy is your typical straight-A student, smart and ambitious, who also happens to have a brother that is a certified genius. It took a while before I could connect with Ivy's character as I found her a bit whiney and over-privileged initially. However, in context, she is a teenager constantly seeking her parent's approval and always feeling like she's less special than her brother. That's the part of her character that showed there was far more depth to her than just an obsession with always being the best.

Mateo is a struggling teen whose family life is incredibly difficult. His mother is suffering from a condition that makes her daily activities a struggle, and a cousin that will do anything to help them all even if it puts her in grave danger. Mateo is protective of his family and doesn't have a lot of friends anymore because he prefers to blend into the background. It enables him to keep his private life, private.

Cal is a bit of a loner, and I did feel genuine sorrow for his character. It came across to me that he tried hard to be bubbly and out-going but he just didn't connect with people easily. He had a lot of insecurities where making and keeping friends was concerned. This lead him into situations that weren't favourable, as you learn the more you read.

Yes, I admit, I thought it was far-fetched for the most part but that's actually what I enjoyed about it the most. It is very unlikely you'd skip school to spend time with people you haven't spoken to in years and stumble upon a crime scene. But I appreciated that they all grew together and became a proper team. They all seemed to be stuck in a difficult place in their lives and came back together when they needed each other most. There was plenty of drama, suspense, and even a touch of romance. I'm all for some romance, and it was super cute!

This is the first Karen McManus book I've read, and I'm thoroughly impressed. I've had 'One of us is Lying' on my TBR for many, many months and after reading this, I'll be going to grab a copy of that as soon as possible! I enjoyed that it was paced well and gave enough pieces of information to keep it interesting the entire time I was reading it. I rate it 4/5 stars and recommend it to all Karen McManus and YA crime thriller fans.

Oh my goodness. I love a Karen McManus book & this did not disappoint. The relationships between the characters were easy to follow & not confusing & the twists & turns just kept on coming! I also did not see the final twist coming at all… WOW. Would definitely recommend!!

You’ll Be The Death Of Me is a classic Karen McManus novel. Friendship, murder and mystery. An easy read with a decent murder mystery and a jam packed final third of the book for the big reveal. The ending felt slightly rushed to be and I do think it would actually be good to get another book with these characters as the ending definitely left things open for more…

I first read Karen’s work when I got a copy of One of Us is Lying and thought it was so very compelling and clever. As soon as I could I read her other books and felt the same about these too! I feel like YA sometimes gets a bit of an unfairly average reputation and can be overlooked by older readers as “not for me.” I am definitely outside of the target demographic for Karen’s books but I love them – they let me lose myself in the crazy world of American teenagers and get caught up in the drama that goes with being a modern teen navigating their way through this increasingly ridiculous and stressful life. I feel young again! Although relieved I don’t have to deal with the modern trials of growing up. Of course there is most definitely a requirement to suspend disbelief in parts of the stories but it’s not different to enjoying a tv show or movie. Anyway, that’s a long winded way for me to get to saying that I was very excited to hear Karen has a new book coming out and so being invited to read and review was amazing!

This time around we meet Ivy, Mateo and Cal. Three teens who have their own issues from overachieving siblings, unwell parents and relationship difficulties and are doing their best to survive high school and come out the other side. The trio shared an epic day several years before and became friends but for various reasons this friendship group became distanced. However a chance encounter in the parking lot leads to a day of skipping school and suddenly they find themselves caught up in something catastrophic.

What I especially liked about You’ll Be The Death of Me is that I didn’t ever feel that I was certain of where the story was going. There were plenty of surprises and curveballs that kept me on my toes and made it difficult to work out how the story would play out. Although aspects of the story felt a bit unrealistic, it didn’t really matter as the plot kept me wondering and keen to keep reading to find out more. I liked the backstory for the three lead characters and was genuinely interested in their lives. I wondered what choices I might make in their position and whether I could have done things differently. My feelings on this changed back and forth as more information came to light and decisions were made which couldn’t be reversed.

I think fans of Karen will be delighted by her latest book and I hope that anyone who was wavering about trying something new decides to give it a go – I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

This was a fun new novel by one of my auto-buy authors (I still preordered even though I had this review copy, and its purple sprayed edges look beautiful next to the other colours).

I really like a multiple POV novel and love that McManus has slotted comfortably into that style, one which I hope she continues with future books.

I wouldn’t say this was my favourite of her books as it fell a tiny bit flat and predictable, but I like that I know what I am getting with her and i’ll still be buying whatever she writes next.

I want to make it clear: its not that I didn't enjoy this book. I don't think McManus has ever written anything I did not enjoy and like her other works the book was engaging, the characters were developed (although not necessarily likeable). I suppose I was not as invested in this storyline as I have been in some of the others.

Ultimately I would sum up my opinion as: I enjoyed it but didn't love it.

Three former friends, Ivy, Mateo and Cal, find themselves thrown together again and in the midst of a murder mystery when they decide to skip school together. Ivy finds herself the main suspect and is desperate to clear her name before her parents arrive home that evening. All three of them have other secrets which complicate matters.
All the action takes place on one day and the tension is kept up throughout the book, making it a real page turner.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. They all felt fleshed out and each chapter I felt like I was really there with them and feeling all their emotions.
However, I think comparing this to Ferris Buellers Day Off is a bit of a stretch. that was one of the main reason I was excited to read this but the only similarity is that three characters took a day off school. Obviously I know it's not going to be extremely similar however there were some things from the original that I thought were going to pop up in this book in a different way but they didn't.
The ending kind of fell flat and the plot twist wasn't that interesting but I liked the suspense that built in some of the final scenes.
I had a lot of really high expectations for this book which might be why they weren't reach that much but the whole premise was really fun and I will continue to pick up McManus' books in the future.

I've read and enjoyed all of Karen M. McManus's books and have really enjoyed all of them. This one did not disappoint, although it did seem like a very familiar plot with similar stereotypical characters to her other books. Despite it feeling familiar, it still kept me entertained and wanting to plough through it just as with her previous YA novels. The characters are mostly relatable and interesting and I really enjoyed their relationships with each other and how they fell out and rediscovered each other. The adults and their stories are kind of bonkers but it works well enough. I've purchased it for my library and will definitely recommend it to my students!.

An addicting read, as I’ve come to expect from any novel Karen M. McManus writes! I spent pages guessing who the prime suspect might be, just go be off again, but not wholly surprised this time - result!

I once again liked the differing points of view. It’s interesting as I really felt the frustration of knowing how one character felt, but reading another characters opinion or what they thought was happening in another characters head and wanting to shout ‘you’re wrong!!’.

I really enjoyed this one and it really cemented Karen as an auto-buy author for me!