Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for providing an Earc in exchange for an honest review.

You’ll Be The Death of Me by Karen M McManus is, yet again, another masterpiece in young adult thriller fiction, showing exactly why McManus is one of the top names in the genre.

Following Ivy, Mattel and Cal, three former friends, as they ditch school for a repeat of their ‘Best Day Ever’, the story centres around the mysterious murder of one of their classmates. As with all of McManus’ works, however, the murder is only the tip of the ice berg and the trio stumble into a terrifying tale of adultery, drugs and murder.

The pacing is impeccable, and McManus manages to keep the readers interests at all times, with each character being awarded just the right amount of backstory to flesh them out without detracting from the main story. Each of her main trio provides just enough teenage drama to make them likably mature yet very clearly adolescent, a balance many within young adult fiction struggle to find.

Ultimately, as the fifth of McManus’ mystery/thriller titles, one would expect YBTDOM to feel repetitive, filled with tropes we have seen in her previous books yet it actually provides he opposite, in some ways making up for the slightly more disappointing pre-decessor.

The ending leaves the characters open to a sequel and one can only hope that McManus provides as the is much to learn about Ivy, Cal and Matteo.

I am not usually a YA reader but Karen McManus is an author who has been on my radar for a while and I’ve heard so many great things about her – so while her earlier series remains on my TBR I was intrigued to have the opportunity to read her latest You’ll Be the Death of Me, particularly when I saw it described as “murder mystery meets Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, a film I loved. And I am happy to report the hype is well deserved – this book is so much fun and I raced through it. It’s a quick and easy read, one that will keep you reading and keep you guessing and perfect for a few hours of escapism.

Ivy, Mateo and Cal used to be close friends but have drifted apart. But when they bump into each other one morning before school, each with their own reason for not wanting to be there, they decide to bunk off school and head into the city together, recreating a similar day they had together in middle school which they described as their “Best Day Ever”. But this time it quickly becomes “Worst Day Ever” when they stumble across the dead body of a classmate and as they try and solve the mystery of what happened on their own, they find themselves caught up in much more than they bargained for.

Initially I was concerned the characters were a little cliched but McManus writes about teenagers brilliantly and the multiple points of view enabled us to get to know them as their true selves are revealed. No one is quite what they seemed initially, they are all keeping secrets and they all have a lot to lose. It’s a fast-paced read, full of twists with a mystery element that works well, leading to a surprising ending. I can certainly see why Karen McManus is so popular and will be reading her other books soon.

You’ll Be The Death Of Me is my first novel by Karen McManus and I was so hooked by the twisty plot, the author’s addictive writing, and the engaging characters that I read it one day and then ordered the author’s backlist.

The story is told from three different points of views: Ivy, Mateo, and Cal. Once upon a time, they used to be best friends, after they skipped a school trip to have the “Greatest Day Ever”, but then they drifted apart. One morning, they casually meet outside of school, but, each for their own reasons, they don’t want to go in, so they decide to skip school and try to have another “Greatest Day Ever”. When they spot another student skipping school, they follow him and they walk right into a murder scene. While they try to figure out what happened, they also have to deal with the secrets they are keeping from each other and with their old friendship.

I was so addicted to the story that I already want to reread it. The author’s kept me glued to the pages with her clear writing and the twists made me turn page after page. My list of suspects just kept getting longer, but I didn’t figure out the truth until it was revealed.

The characters are fantastic. I loved Ivy, Mateo, and Cal. They are flawed, they make so many make mistakes that I didn’t think they would find a way out of the situation, and they keep secrets from each other that only make thing more complicated. They are also relatable and authentic and very intriguing.

Engrossing, suspenseful, and unpredictable, You’ll Be The Death Of Me is a novel that I highly recommend and thanks to the thrilling ending that left a few things open I am really hoping for a sequel in the future!

When a trio of friends ditches school together in an attempt to recreate a day they skipped many years ago, things go fantastically awry. What seems like the start of a dull day, in which all of them entertain going back to school, turns into anything but. The blurb promises this is Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with murder, and I didn’t realize that when I agreed to this blog tour because I’m not a fan of that movie in the slightest. However, I’m glad to say that I didn’t get that vibe while reading, making it much more enjoyable.

This book slowly unfolds, making it more mystery than thriller. We get to know our trio well through that unfolding. The elements at play are multi-dimensional and directional because there’s a lot more than just the murder going on. The trio is diverse, each with issues their battling. Overall, this is a fun read that has the teens playing amateur detective, keeping the reader guessing.

I am happy to report that I loved this book. To be honest, I was a little worried going in because McManus’ other books haven’t had an impact on me like One of Us Is Next did. However, this book reminded me why I loved McManus’ debut so much. The characters are introduced right in the beginning in their own chapters to establish the dynamic of each. Then begins an attempt to recreate The Best Day Ever. And as one can assume, that didn’t happen. Events begin to unravel fast and the trio needs to figure out what’s going on so they don’t get blamed for it. I finished this book in a day because I could not put it down. It was engaging and fast with details about each character revealing themselves as the plot thickened. I was able to guess about half of what was going on and it was another amazing twist. And as always, McManus needs to get the last word in. But this time, I was able to guess what it was. The whole book is full of twists and turns with it be engaging every page turned.

I really enjoyed the characters. I think that was my issue with the other books. I didn’t enjoy our characters as much but as soon as they were introduced, I was hooked. There wasn’t one that I enjoyed more than another as they all meshed really well together. McManus created a great chemistry between all three of them and I enjoyed it immensely. Cal made some excellent remarks at the end of the book that really nailed down their relationship. Even though there wasn’t much development as the book went on, it was clear how much they have grown during their years apart. I thought this was a good approach because each character did develop, but not in a typical manner. There was not one point of view that I felt like was too much or too little. Each had their own spotlight enough.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen McManus was such a good book. I really enjoyed the characters and the plot. This book reminded me why I enjoyed McManus debut so much. The writing was so well down and the pacing was fantastic. I finished this book so fast because I just could not put it down. The characters were perfect for this story and it just fit so well that they were old friends found new. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has enjoyed McManus’ books in the past or just enjoyed thrillers and mysteries.

An enjoyable read told from the Point of Views of three different characters.; Ivy, Cal and Mateo

A teen sleuth mystery with plenty of twists and turns . My main grip was that the ending felt rushed and (unless there's a follow up) perhaps too abrupt.
However, the way the story was plotted was skilful and I enjoyed the narrative developments

I hadn’t read any of Karen McManus’ books before and was intrigued to see how this ‘Ferris Buellers Day Off ‘ style read would pan out. I wasn’t disappointed- this is a fast paced YA mystery. It’s full of teen angst and vulnerabilities but don’t let that fool you as it’s hard hitting in how we all need our friends when growing up in life’s twists and turns. I really enjoyed it and will definitely be looking out for more of her books.

If you know me, you know I gravitate towards anything dark and twisted. I get super excited when I hear of a new horror/thriller film or book coming out, so it makes sense that one of my favourite authors is a YA thriller writer. You've probably heard of her bestseller, One of Us is Lying, but today we're talking about Karen M. McManus's brand new novel - You'll Be the Death of Me. It's coming out on the 30th of November, so I'm here to tell you why you should get yourself a copy as soon as it's released!

You'll Be the Death of Me follows three high school seniors - Ivy, Mateo, and Cal. They used to be friends back in middle school, but they grew apart. One morning, however, they bump into each other at their school's parking lot and spontaneously decide to ditch their classes together. They call in sick, pretending to be their parents, and head out for what they're confident will be a fun, relaxing day. A well deserved break. Until they spot newly-appointed senior class president Brian 'Boney' Mahoney out and about as well, and they decide to follow him into an abandoned building. Only, by the time they reach him, he's been killed. When they realise they very much happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, they panic, and start trying to figure out what exactly happened before people start to point fingers at them. But the secrets they're all hiding make things even more complicated than they already are.

McManus's books all have a few things in common: they're multi-perspective, give insane Pretty Little Liars vibes, and are incredibly binge-worthy! I have spent the past 24 hours binging this one, and I loved every second of it. The story is incredibly fast-paced, with the perfect mix of plot and characters that makes you fall in love with the latter while being completely immersed in the former. If you're into quick reads, this is definitely the book for you.

Something else I loved about You'll Be the Death of Me is the fact that even though basically all of the characters are flawed, you still end up rooting for them. They're flawed in a way that makes them believable, in a way that makes you think, hmm, that was a shitty thing to do, but I'd probably do the same if I was in their shoes. And that is part of what makes the characters so loveable, and what makes you hope that they at least get a happy ending after all the crap they go through throughout the novel.

The one thing I would criticise - and I've felt this way with other books by the same author before - is that while the characters are very believable, sometimes certain scenes can feel a bit far-fetched. For example, at one point, Mateo carries an unconscious Ivy around for what feels like a crazy long amount of time without so much as a wince. Sure, he's described as tall and strong, but it didn't really sit well with me for some reason.

Overall, though, I would definitely highly recommend you pick this up if it feels like your cup of tea. A huge thank you goes to @TheWriteReads for giving us the opportunity to read and review this book before its release!

Queen of YA crime Karen M. McManus is back with a new thriller – You’ll Be the Death of Me. The story follows three students – Ivy, Cal and Mateo. They used to be close but have drifted apart. When the three run into each other in the school car park, it seems like the perfect opportunity to recreate the best day ever. They skip school, heading into the city for a day of fun. The three friends quickly realize they don’t have much in common anymore, but when they run into another student skipping, they decide to follow him. The three friends then find themselves wrapped up in a murder investigation and learn their random meet-up might not have been random at all.

So far I’ve read all of McManus’s books and each one has been a fast-paced, twisty read. You’ll Be the Death of Me is no exception. The story gripped me right from the beginning, with plenty of moments I just did not see coming. You’ll Be the Death of Me is an easy book to get caught up in and the short chapters had me turning pages quicker and quicker. Over the course of the book, I developed multiple theories about what was going on – all of which turned out to be wrong.

The story is well-paced and it has a really intriguing premise. I’ve seen it described as ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with murder’ and if that doesn’t intrigue you I don’t know what will. I really liked all three of our main protagonists and it was fascinating watching how the group dynamic changed as their secrets were revealed. Ivy was probably my favourite of the three, however, all of them were really interesting and well fleshed out.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced YA thriller to keep you hooked on a long winter night, You’ll Be the Death of Me absolutely has you covered. This was a hugely enjoyable read and I cannot wait to see what McManus writes next.

I love Karen M. McManus. I first read one of her books just over 3 yeard ago on my first holiday abroad with my partner and loved it. I devoured the book in 2 days and whenever I put it down I was relaying all the drama and suspense to my partner. And this was no different with this book.

At the beginning, it did take me a while to get into the book – it felt a little slow compared to McManus’ usual stuff but at the same time I knew that it was just building the background. Once it got into the thick of it, I was hooked. Reading in any spare moment I had to see what was going to happen next.

I liked the 3 main characters; they each bought something to the group and each had their own personal problems going out. The background of each character was done really well. I felt like I knew all of them on a deep level but don’t feel that at any point I was overloaded with details about them. There also wasn’t too many background characters – don’t get me wrong, there was a lot of characters who were part of the story but not the main part, but not enough that I found myself asking ‘Who was this person again?’

The suspense was built really effectively – I found myself trying to solve the mystery alongside Ivy, Cal and Mateo. At one point I was convinced I’d solved it but that was turned on it’s head when it was all revealed. And let me tell you – I would never have guessed it right! But I loved how everything was all linked together once it was revealed.

The ending was left really open so maybe there is potential for a sequel here like the One of Us is Lying series? I hope so! I would definitely read it to find out how Ivy plans on going ‘scorched earth’.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book; it was engaging, suspenseful, and kept me wanting more. What’s there not to like?!

This book took a while to get the characters straight, and a while to get going, but once I got things sorted out in my head, it read really quickly! I definitely had theories that proved right and then proved wrong, but let me just say THAT ENDING. I do not feel like that's the end of this trio's story! Surely a sequel will come at some point, please Karen! I can't be left like that!

The decision to skip school and try to recreate the day they first became friends (known amongst the trio as the greatest day ever) turns into a nightmare when three teenagers follow a fellow student from their school and stumble into a crime scene.

This gripping mystery is set over the course of a day and voiced from the perspectives of Ivy, Cal and Mateo, three vivid individuals from contrasting backgrounds as we follow their quest to uncover what the hell they have found themselves caught up in whilst each harbouring their own personal secrets. As the day progressed, they found themselves facing judgement,betrayals and danger whilst also being confronted by unexpected revelations about life, themselves and their loved ones. They also learn that actions, no matter how small can have far reaching consequences and cause a ripple effect that affects the lives of others.

My favourite out of the three main characters was Mateo, I loved how much he cared and worried about his mum and cousin. I had conflicting feelings about both Ivy and Cal, there was times when I liked them and times when I didnt. The secondary characters were a eclectic mix of realistic and relatable individuals some likeable like Ivy's loyal best friend Emily and some not so likeable like the obnoxious reporter. There was one judgement individual who I definitely did not like, you know, the sort of person who runs their mouth off without thinking or caring about the consequences of their actions and the trouble that they are causing for other individuals.

This is a slow burning mystery that has some unexpected plot twists and turns, keeps the reader guessing and has some seriously intense,edge of your seat chapters towards the end of the story. The author's characterisations of the individuals who appeared throughout the story were vivid, realistic and relatable. From the way that this story ends it appears that the author is planning to revisit these characters again in the future and I look forward to reading what she has planned for the trouble seeking trio in their next adventure.

I have had my ups and downs when it comes to Karen M McManus's books and I was pleasantly surprised with this from the very begining. I liked all of the characters and found them to be really believable which drove me on throughout the book. The plot I also found to be really fast-paced and full of twists. I enjoyed the reveals and trying to work out who dun it and think that overall this was a very good book. It didn't completely blow me away but I find that thrillers don't really for me anymore but I think this was a very well done YA thriller with almost dark academia vibes.
4 out of 5 stars.

I love Karen McManus and devoured the rest of her books, so I was delighted to receive an early copy of You’ll Be the Death of Me. This novel was a fantastic and unputdownable page turner. I almost read it in one sitting and if I hadn’t had to sleep, I’m sure I would have! The action begins almost right from the off and as soon as the dead body is found, you’ll be hooked. Karen McManus has a way of writing that puts the reader right on the edge of their seat as they try to work out what on earth is going on and solve it before the main characters! I confess…I didn’t. She’s setting such a high bar going forwards – I’m expecting perfectly gripping thrillers!

You’ll Be the Death of Me has a cast of three main characters – three high schoolers who used to be friends back in middle school. Mateo and Cal were hard to like at first, though I did warm to Mateo reasonably quickly when a good deal of his back-story became clear. However, I won’t spoil it, but I just found Cal difficult and a little unlikeable (though this didn’t change my enjoyment of the story!) Ivy was my absolute favourite character as I completely identify with her perfectionist self and that feeling of never being truly good enough. I was frustrated with her relationship with her brother and not being the best of her family in just the right way. As usual, the dark and twisty secrets throughout were compelling.

Gripping and full of suspense! 5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Children’s UK and NetGalley for the e-book review copy.

Every novel by Karen M. McManus is a thrilling page turner and You’ll Be The Death of Me was no different! I read this entire book in one day, I just could not put it down, every chapter had me hooked on the drama and the mystery of the murder. I always think I know what to expect from Karen M. McManus’s novels, but they still draw me in completely and leave me desperate for more.

Three teenagers, Ivy, Mateo and Cal, decide to skip school together to relive old times and maybe reconnect as the best friends they used to be, but things turn deadly when they stumble upon a murder of another classmate. Once they run from the crime scene their personal secrets all begin to spill out, they aren’t the friends they once were but they need to trust each other as their lives depend on it!

You’ll Be The Death of Me is more of an instance of wrong place, wrong time than a conspiracy against any of the main characters, which was a new and refreshing storyline. The mystery behind the murder and the obvious interference of a crime scene definitely ramped up the stakes in this novel and kept me guessing the whole way through. I really enjoyed the bond between the three main teens and the rekindling of their old friendships.

If you’ve enjoyed any of Karen M. McManus’s previous novels, there is no doubt that You’ll Be The Death of Me will be a new favourite.

I will continue to read Karen M McManus’ books but this was probably my least favourite so far. The bulk of the story felt really slow moving and all the action seemed to happen right at the end. What I will say is that the twist was not a predictable one so that’s definitely a positive with this one. If you’re a fan of McManus I would still say this is worth a read.

You’ll be the Death of Me follows three high school students who used to be best friends, but grew apart when they realised they no longer had anything in common. As in the rest of her novels each character has a stereotyped role: Ivy the try-hard student, Mateo is a handsome but hardworking teen and Cal is more of a loner. However, as usual McManus gives her characters personalities that make them more than just basic character, this can be seen through a lot of teenage anxieties the characters face. As we read their story, we uncover the past that they are hiding.

As in most mysteries, this book has many twists, lots of action and many accusations being thrown at the main characters. Whilst perhaps a little predictable in places, this YA thriller is an easy, enjoyable read that’ll grip you until you have turned the last page.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

McManus has done it again - a near-perfect mystery thriller that twists and turns almost constantly, while still being grounded in real life. I liked the main characters a lot, and thought their problems were very realistic. I thought the ending was perhaps a touch melodramatic, but still thoroughly enjoyable.

Perfect, just perfect.
I’ve become a huge fan of this author in recent times and have never failed to be gripped, completely lost amongst the pages and mesmerised. Another great book that I’d definitely recommend or read again.

Title - You'll Be the Death of Me

Author - Karen M McManus

Genre - YA Thriller

Being in the bookish circle, I have been quite aware of Karen's thrillers and yet I was never able to pick and read her book. I was fortunate enough to finally get my hands on her upcoming novel and I must say this book did make me question one thing, why didn't I pick her book earlier. Here is my take on the same.

Plot :

Ivy, Mateo and Cal, who used to be good friends, do not hang around with one another. A chance encounter on one of their school days and they decided to skip school to relive their old memories. What was supposed to be a sequel to their Best Day Ever turned out to be a dangerous one when one of their batchmate was killed and they chanced upon his body. The suspicion lands on Ivy who had her issues with Brian aka Boney and now the old friends are on a mission to find out the real killer before the issue gets blown up or maybe it already has.

My Take on the Book:

The book pretty much jumps into action without dwelling into quite a background story which gets unfolded as we progress along the plot. This is one of the best parts of the book here, since the readers get to unravel the characters and their thoughts as we move along. We are shown that our central characters are innocent and yet the twists and turns that come along does keep the readers on edge making it quite a roller-coaster ride.

Even with the book leaving you quite high on adrenaline throughout, there are some elements that do turns out to be quite predictable which does dampen the experience a bit and yet when the book does end, the author makes a nail-biting cliffhanger that would make the readers go gaga over what is to come in the sequel (if it does). The characters getting a closure and yet setting up a path to next week, the author did win my heart with her art of storytelling. A compelling read that I would surely recommend to one and all. Pick it up if you are a fan of Karen's book and I'm sure I'm going to read her previous books to get involved in her mysteries.