Ivy feels like the afterthought, the girl who's always second place whether it's at home or at school elections. Mateo doesn't have time to worry about things like elections, he's too busy working two jobs to support his family. Cal almost has too much time to worry about things, and fills in with a stream of people to avoid being alone. And all of them could really use a day off from their lives.

The three of them used to be friends - best friends really. But years happen, times change, and so did they. But when Cal is running late one morning, they all decide to ditch class together like they used to … although they're not the only ones ditching. When they see one of their classmates acting very odd they unwittingly find themselves at a crime scene.

Friends again or not, these three have been thrown into a world of deadly secrets that will keep them bound together forever ... if they make it out alive.

This was initially pitched me to as 'Ferris Beullers Day Off but with murder' and … yeah, pretty much. I was unsure at first, worried our main trio were slipping into being clichés, but they very quickly became fully formed characters, independent and individual with unique backstories and personalities. I love the way McManus shows how a characters past has shaped the person we see. I think every reader will be able to find a little part of themselves in every character.

Each chapter felt like a cliff-hanger so this was far too easy to read in one sitting, full of mystery and intrigue - people have hailed McManus the Queen of YA Thrillers and there's definitely a reason behind it. You'll Be The Death Of Me is a quick, fast-paced drama with dark twists and turns but always with a subtle humour and heart at the centre.

So, I always have a hard time rating Karen M. McManus's books, because on the one hand they are totally trashy and unbelievable, on the other they are extremely entertaining and I always fly through them. You'll Be the Death of Me is not an exception.
This one is probably one of the more farfetched of her books, but I read it in like 4h total, in three sittings, between exams and life, which for me is not so obvious. I couldn't believe a single thing that was happening or how the characters were reacting even if I suspended my disbelief, but I really couldn't stop reading.
The characters don't have very distinct voices, and I often confused whose POV I was reading; Ivy, Mateo and Cal were not well developed and their personalities felt very stereotypical. I would have loved for them to have more layers, but this was totally a plot driven book.
The plot twists were predictable, as I always find McManuses' reveals and twists, but they were engaging nonetheless. I know this makes zero sense, but -- as I said -- I always have a hard time with her books. There's something addicting about them, that makes you want to keep reading, ignoring all the problems, but once you close the book you are like: "WTF did i just read? Why am I not DNFing this book?"
Overall, the book was exactly what I expected and it did entertain me; I will of course be buying myself a finished copy, because despite my ratings, I am a s+cker for McManus's books, but objectively this was not a good story. Subjectively, it was exactly what I needed to distract myself with, but I recognise its limits.

This was really good, I loved the characters (even Ivy who started out as super annoying) and I liked the storyline. Yes some bits were slightly unbelievable but for books like this I always just go with it because I enjoy them so much. This was a solid story with some really good character development also the ending was such a tease! As always I love this authors writing and cannot wait for her next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House (Children’s UK) for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Ivy, Mateo, and Cal used to be close. Now all they have in common is Carlton High and the beginning of a very bad day. Type A Ivy lost a student council election to the class clown, and now she has to face the school, humiliated. Heartthrob Mateo is burned out--he's been working two jobs since his family's business failed. And outsider Cal just got stood up . . . again. So when Cal pulls into campus late for class and runs into Ivy and Mateo, it seems like the perfect opportunity to turn a bad day around. They'll ditch and go into the city. Just the three of them, like old times. Except they've barely left the parking lot before they run out of things to say . . . until they spot another Carlton High student skipping school--and follow him to the scene of his own murder. In one chance move, their day turns from dull to deadly. And it's about to get worse. It turns out Ivy, Mateo, and Cal still have some things in common. They all have a connection to the dead kid. And they're all hiding something. Now they're all wondering--could it be that their chance reconnection wasn't by chance after all?

I really liked getting to see multiple POVs and getting to see the clear differences between the characters. Ivy is desperate to prove herself to everyone, feeling shadowed by her younger brother’s achievements. Mateo struggles seeing his mum in such awful daily pain and his cousin dealing with shady business. Cal has a secret he’s desperate to keep hidden. Overall, all the characters were pretty good, but very much stereotypes of American students. It’s a bit of a running theme with McManus’s books that whilst it isn’t an issue, I would like to see some more original characters in her works.

The pacing wasn’t too bad throughout the book, though I did find the first half rather slow. Even after the death happened, things seemed to struggle to pick up. Then towards the end it did and I wish we got to have such pacing throughout the book. The ending I wasn’t keen on - with the twist for Mateo’s father. It makes me wonder if there will be a sequel and begrudgingly I want one just to see the fallout of such a decision. For me, this is more of a 3.75⭐️.

Overall, You’ll Be The Death of Me is another murder mystery to add to your shelves but perhaps not one to run to.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to NetGalley and Penguin Random House (Children’s UK) for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be live on my blog on 1st December.

You'll Be the Death of Me is an entertaining mystery novel. Although the mystery revolves around murder, and there are other sinister plot developments, it's actually very light-hearted. More intriguing than thrilling! I think this comes from all the high school drama. There are lots of other mini twists, secrets and revelations, but most of these are of a less sinister and more teenage nature.

All in all it was an enjoyable read. I didn't guess 'whodunnit' and very much enjoyed the journey to figure it out. There was added trepidation with our trio of protagonists at risk of being implicated themselves which helped keep the pace up.

Recommended for fans of the author's previous books.

Karen M McManus' books are such a hit with the pupils at school that the library has had to buy multiple copies of all her published work so far. I already know that this is going to be another hit! I loved it! Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to read it early - I'll get my pre-order in now!

Probably 3.5 to a 4 here - I didn’t really feel anything for the main characters (ok, I did feel for Mateo), or their big secrets for each other - but as a set up for a potential sequel now we know the motives better, it’s a good’un!

Three friends, who had the 'best day ever' in Middle School, but who drifted apart (for reasons explained later!), they inexplicably decide to try to recreate this 'best day ever'... to perilous results!

3 teens, three secrets, three reasons to be anxious messes - oh, and a murder, and... They honestly should have just gone to the aquarium (although, thinking about it, that would have meant they were in the dark about... never mind!).

Karen McManus has quickly become my go to for a snappy thriller read, and she has yet to disappoint! Despite being comparatively short stories, she still manages to get you hooked and rooting for her characters in such a short space of time. All the details of the mystery were so well woven together, with some lovely twists and turns along the way building to a very dramatic conclusion!

You’ll Be the Death of Me follows high-school students and former friends, Cal, Ivy and Mateo, as they experience the day from hell, when what they thought would be a Ferris Bueller inspired day of skipping school leads instead to a murder enquiry. When Ivy finds the body of one of their classmates, and her recent school council rival, in an abandoned art studio, the three find themselves completely wrapped up in the enquiry, trying to figure out what happened, keep themselves safe and, most importantly, not become the case’s primary suspects.

In typical Karen McManus fashion, this is a clever and gripping high-school murder mystery. Like One of Us is Lying, it is told from the perspectives of three wildly different characters, all of whom have a million reasons why they absolutely can’t get caught up in the crime investigation. I think Mateo was my favourite of the three characters, as the most down-to-earth and genuinely innocent of the three, but I liked all three protagonists a lot, and the interesting dynamic of three former friends accidentally reuniting for their nightmarish day.

The story itself is a straightforward murder mystery, with fairly standard motivations and victim, but the twists kept it interesting the whole way through. I definitely guessed a few of the big reveals before they happened, but I also found myself going off on completely wrong tangents multiple times, to the point that I stopped trying to guess what would happen around ¾ of the way through when I realised I would inevitably be wrong. I felt that the ending was a little bit dragged out, with a lot of chapters taking place after the mystery has been solved, but this did mean that every possible question you could have is definitely answered and tied up really well. Although I found this part to be a little slower than the rest of the book, I did really appreciate that the author literally thought of *everything*.

I really enjoyed this book and, having been in a reading slump for the whole of October, I don’t think I could’ve picked a better book to get myself out of it. It was an excellent combination of fun, dark and clever, and a reminder that I should definitely be reading every book that Karen McManus writes.

I read this whole book in one sitting without taking any breaks because I was hooked the entire time, and even found myself staying up until 1am just to finish it. The best thing about Karen M. McManus books is that they are so addictive that I can't help but read them completely in one sitting.

Although this may not be my favourite book that Karen has ever written, I find that her writing, characters and plot have improved so much in every book she writes. The pacing of this book was so fast, probably because it is set entirely over one complete day, and it really helped to make me not want to put this book down.

The plot of 'You'll Be The Death Of Me' was definitely interesting and had me hooked from the beginning. I did predict the plot twist, which I knew would happen, but I still really enjoyed reading the book overall, and did find myself doubting whether I was right about guessing the plot twist correctly.

I will continue to read everything Karen M. Mcmanus writes as I can't help but be addicted to her books and she always writes stories that intrigue me so much, and I am always obsessed with the covers of her books, they always look so nice together on my bookshelves.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Children's UK for providing me with an advance copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Ivy, Matteo and Cal decide to ditch class, they don’t expect to stumble onto the scene of a murder. Let alone one in which one of their classmates is the victim. And the fact that the dead kid, Brian, just beat Ivy to class president? Well, in the minds of some people that makes her suspect number one. And so the three seniors, old friends who haven’t really spoken in years, end up on a white knuckle journey around Boston and surrounding suburbs trying to figure out who killed Brian, and why they seem to be framing Ivy.

You’re Dead To Me was pacy and easy to read; although it requires the reader to suspend their disbelief quite extensively you do end up rooting for the characters and there’s great character development. Despite all that, it fell slightly flat for me but I think teen readers will love it.

I received an advance digital copy of this book in return of an honest review.

Filled with emotion, suspense and mystery - this book was one I couldn’t put down.

Ivy, Mateo and Cal are old friends who have drifted apart - but something brings them back together. A strange serendipity that sets about the worst day they could ever imagine.
Their lives change before their eyes as the past catches up with them and they find themselves in the middle of a dangerous drugs ring.

Filled with life lessons this book is a guide to taking responsibility, owning your mistakes, accepting help and realising you may have been wrong the whole time.

I really enjoyed how the story was told through the eyes of each of the three main characters. Each account flowed easily from the next so that there was never a moment that felt disjointed but at the same time you were kept in suspense waiting for a small detail here and there to slot in to the puzzle.

This really was brilliantly written and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Trigger warnings: drugs, death, mild violence

I can always rely on Karen M. McManus to deliver a solid YA thriller. This proved just as fun and furiously fast-paced, as chocked full of secrets and of sinister discoveries, as all the titles I have previously read from her. The characters also appeared as initially clichéd before becoming unique and nuanced as their true selves became exposed. I had no faults with this story and a blast working through the puzzles it presented.

Another fun thriller by McManus. The plot is very fast paced, and the characters are all beautifully crafted. Each has their own secret to conceal, and the day away from school exposes these gradually in a way which feels natural. I strongly recommend this to those who enjoyed the authors previous work

I really enjoy McManus’ work especially this one. One I will definitely recommend for school pupils and get a couple of copies for our library. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me an early arc

Karen M. McManus has never disappointed me before and has knocked it out of the park once again! Another excellent stand alone YA novel, a fantastic read for any age though I hasten to add.

We're all familiar with the idea of being 'in the wrong place at the wrong time' but You'll Be The Death Of Me showcases this perfectly. When a high school rival, Brian 'Boney' Mahoney, winds up dead in the centre of a drug ring, all eyes are on a mystery blond that was reportedly seen in the vicinity moments before his death.
Bit of a problem for Ivy, who wasn't supposed to be in the area and not only matches the description perfectly but has a ready made motive too.

Friendships naturally ebb and flow, but nothing brings people together like a crisis. Ivy, Matteo and Cal used to be best friends in middle school, but ended up growing apart. When by chance the three arrive at school at the same time, they decide to throw caution to the wind and recreate the day their friendship started in the first place.

All the good will in the world can't fix a broken friendship, that takes time and some brutal honesty that's difficult to face. Everyone keeps secrets but what happens when they all start unravelling?

This is genuinely an excellent and well paced read. You actually get to know the characters a little before everything kicks off which makes such a massive difference to the enjoyment of the story. Well, at least it does for me, so many books start by throwing you in the deep end of the drama and this was an incredibly welcome change.

You’ll Be The Death Of Me, Karen McManus. 💜 3/5

Ferris Buellers day off… with murder. Three old friends relive an infamous ditch day and become tangled in a web of murder, lies and danger.

With her trademark style Karen McManus once again pulls together a kickass YA thriller with believable teens and a clever little story to solve. With big heart McManus establishes her story with differing perspectives, expected but always well crafted.

I devour Karen’s novels, this one was brilliant and I highly anticipate the next and her series adaption!

Thanks to #Netgalley and #PenguinRandomHouse for my copy of this one!

Ivy, Mateo, and Cal used to be best friends but time and age have driven them apart. Their attempts to rekindle what they once had, as they ditch school together, quickly die and awkwardness sets in. When they run into another truant they latch on to him as a way to turn their day around. Discovering a murder together wasn't quite what they had in mind in order to do so, though.

I can always rely on McManus to deliver a solid YA thriller. This proved just as fun and furiously fast-paced, as chocked full of secrets and of sinister discoveries, as all the titles I have previously read from her. The characters also appeared as initially cliched before becoming unique and nuanced as their true selves became exposed. I had no faults with this story and a blast working through the puzzles it presented.

True rating of 3.5 stars

This was my least favourite of McManus's books so far, whilst I did certainly enjoy it, I didn't love it in the way I have the rest of her books. I'm SO ashamed of myself for missing the Ferris Bueller connection, how in the world did I not get that?!

I did really enjoy the dynamic between the three main characters, although at times, their big revelations did come across as quite trivial. I enjoyed seeing their friendship rekindle and need to go find me an artisan doughnut shop, because this book definitely made me crave a good doughnut!

The mystery elements played out quite well, but I felt like a lot of the answers to the questions and the destination to get to them were a little....boring? I definitely wasn't as excited about the book as I have been the others. Having said that, I'll still be purchasing a hardcopy as soon as I can, and will look forward to seeing what comes next from McManus.

I've enjoyed all of Karen McManus' books so far and they are very popular with my students so I was keen to read this one, too.

I read this in nearly one sitting and really cared about our 3 main characters - perhaps Mateo the most. I thought the story flowed well and it was an enjoyable read.